Closing of Borders (20/21 Teaching Year)

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sciteach
Posts: 258
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2014 7:49 am

Closing of Borders (20/21 Teaching Year)

Post by sciteach »

One thing which people have spoken about on the forum in some length is the Covid-19 response to potential student and teacher numbers. Another thing which many of us (including myself) have not thought about as much is how the closing of borders affects staff moving between countries.

It seems as though some countries who had a strong response are only starting to slowly open up to limited domestic travel in the best of cases - with other countries seeming to err on the side of caution and only allow repatriation or essential workers to come into the country.

An odd thought - but that means that staff who were meant to replace leaving staff have a reasonable chance of not making it into their new jobs. Any thoughts on the possibility of this as it seems as things seem to be staying the same or worse? I also think that expecting this to just blow over by August is a little naive on this occasion.

Many airlines like Emirates, Singapore, Qantas etc have paired back ALMOST ALL FLIGHTS until July - which means that travel is going to get more difficult as time progresses
t_rock
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Joined: Mon Feb 03, 2020 12:45 am

Re: Closing of Borders (20/21 Teaching Year)

Post by t_rock »

Travel restrictions, along with visa issues, are certainly going to physically prevent the arrival of some newly hired teachers. It would be pretty callous for schools to withdraw offers of employment simply due to the closing of borders and the inability--literally--of teachers being able to arrive, and I think only the worst schools would go that route. I don't think a bending of the rules (i.e. coming in on a tourist visa and switching via border run) is going to work either with 14-day quarantine rules in effect on both sides of the border.

My personal opinion is these lock downs will need to end soon. The "stay-at-home" and "flatten the curve" arguments may work to some extent, but in reality they only delay the inevitable and once countries begin opening up again, the coronavirus is likely to spread in new waves. Meanwhile, the global economy is in tatters with many countries recording negative growth. I can see countries putting age restrictions in place for visa purposes, as older folks are more susceptible to COVID.

My conclusion is that online learning will be kept in place, maybe with some schools doing a hybrid sort of thing with teachers on campus who are already in the country, and online with teachers who aren't, until normalcy returns or at least until teachers can fly freely.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

August/September is still a long way off in the minds of ISs. They are thinking about it, but they just dont know whats going to happen come August, and what they are going to have to plan for.
shadowjack
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Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: Closing of Borders (20/21 Teaching Year)

Post by shadowjack »

Schools are making 3 contingency plans (logically). 1. Full physical start to the school year. 2. Mixed start - physical and virtual - start to the school year. 3. Virtual start to the school year.

Stay tuned for which option YOUR school chooses!
Illiane_Blues

Re: Closing of Borders (20/21 Teaching Year)

Post by Illiane_Blues »

shadowjack wrote:
> Schools are making 3 contingency plans (logically). 1. Full physical start
> to the school year. 2. Mixed start - physical and virtual - start to the
> school year. 3. Virtual start to the school year.
>
> Stay tuned for which option YOUR school chooses!


This is exactly what my school has done. They just finished and are ready for all of these three scenarios but obviously hoping for #1.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Discussion

Post by PsyGuy »

What will be interesting is ISs in the same local choosing different options. Where ISs are allowed to open but under such rigid an impractical conditions that some ISs, such as those with small enrollment, fully open but that other ISs due to their size or other reasons elect to continue with a virtual program.
Illiane_Blues

Re: Discussion

Post by Illiane_Blues »

That's already happening here. Hard to say how it will affect next years enrolment but for now the schools that are least careful are having more problems with parents than the schools that are perhaps too cautious.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Discussion

Post by PsyGuy »

True, but were at the end of the AYP, and tuition fees had already been paid, parents got stuck with what they got and neither had much recourse or other options. It will be interesting to see how parents respond to ISs wanting full tuition for an online program who will have the choice now of moving to different ISs that may have physical space for students even if it means going to a lower tier ISs, when those parents now have the coin to go elsewhere. There are a LOT of parents who are really upset (thats the kind word) with having to pay full tuition with no deduction or refund for what amounted to as worksheets and lesson packets. Some ISs did more, many did not, and the feeling Im hearing is parents are going to make their voices herd with their pocketbooks and their feet. A lot of parents are feeling really ripped off and to put it nicely dont care if the IS goes broke, they paid for X and they didnt get it, and they should get something back as the IS isnt entitled for full payment for delivering less than the full experience.
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