Rugby School Thailand announced that the government has approved its measures counter-Covid-19, allowing it to reopen its doors.
As part of the renowned UK Rugby School group, Rugby School Thailand has become one of the first five international schools, alongside 48 Thai schools, to pass the authorities’ safety assessment criteria successfully.
Such criteria, established by the Public Health Ministry and the Education Ministry, determine whether a school is suitable to reopen under the “Sandbox Safety Zone in School (SSS)” framework, which defines strict measures that educational institutes must implement to guarantee safety amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Taya Teepsuwan, the founder of Rugby School Thailand, said: “While we offer an excellent online learning program, too much screen time is not healthy for developing minds. We are therefore working tirelessly to bring children back to live lessons.”
Rugby School Thailand’s staff has complied with the Covid-19 preventive directives imposed by the government. Moreover, it has implemented strict medical protocols and a Covid-19 rescue plan, ensuring that the school does not inadvertently create a Covid-19 cluster, Ms. Taya added.
The school has also adopted additional measures enforced by the UK Rugby School during lockdowns, including PCR testing 48 hours before entering the ‘Safety Zone School’ areas, fixed seating plans for lessons and meal times to identify close contacts if a positive case is detected and classes divided into 18-people small groups.
Special or extracurricular activities are also held in small groups to minimize exposure and prevent Covid-19 risk.
Furthermore, Ms. Taya stated that Rugby School Thailand has vaccinated more than 85% of its staff and implemented other safety measures such as the “18+3 Model,” which requires Year 7 to Year 13 students participating in the program to stay at their boarding houses for 18 consecutive days before going home for three days.
Also, students are subjected to PCR testing before moving on to the sandbox bubbles and must undergo weekly antigen testing before going home. All must comply with regular hand disinfection, use mandatory masks and maintain social distancing.
Teachers and school personnel, who must remain in the “Safety School Zone,” must also undergo weekly antigen tests and periodic check-ups.
Rugby School Thailand has also vaccinated its supporting personnel, including drivers, gardeners, housekeepers, technicians, among others. In addition, strict cleaning regimes have been implemented to ensure that fresh food and raw materials are safely delivered.
“This model is very challenging, and of course there’s a risk, but it’s worth doing because it’s the only way to bring our children back to school,” Ms. Taya stated.
