Ministry of Education Calls for Commitment to Conduct Rapid Antigen Test Before First Day of School

Rapid Antigen Test

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education called on school students to take the Rapid Antigen Test for COVID-19 before the start of the first day of school, no more than 48 hours (only once and not weekly), and to show the negative result to allow them to enter the school building or kindergarten.

This came in a circular directed by the Health and Safety Department at the Ministry to principals of government schools and kindergartens regarding instructions for providing antigen test kits to all their students, in coordination with the Department of School Health Services and Program at the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), with the start of students work hours for the academic year 2022-2023.

In this regard, the Ministry called on schools to follow up and coordinate with the school's nursing to receive test kits for all school or kindergarten students from the health center, noting that these tests are intended for distribution by the school administration to all parents of students, as of today.

They also called on schools to send SMS messages to parents to specify the dates and times to collect the test kits from the school or kindergarten, in addition to the pledge form.

The Ministry stressed the importance of educating parents about the need to take rapid antigen test at home and to fill out a pledge form for all students without exception, a maximum of 48 hours before school starts on Sunday, Aug. 21. School nurse shall follow up with the school administration, to ensure that all students are committed to filling out and bringing the parents' pledge form, it added.

(QNA)