A distance learning drill will be carried out next week for all secondary school students in Taipei, in preparation for any possible learn-at-home orders the city might impose amid a sharp rise in domestic COVID-19 cases, Mayor Ko Wen-je (???) said Friday.

During the drill period April 25-29, students at Taipei’s junior and senior high schools and vocational schools will be taught remotely at home, Ko said at a press conference to detail the city’s COVID-19 response measures.

The goal is to get students used to remote learning, in the event the rapid increase in the number of domestic COVID-19 cases forces the city to close schools, he said.

Parents and the schools have largely supported the plan for the practice week of remote classes, Ko said, adding that most schools in Taipei are equipped with fiber internet and the city’s digital learning application CooC-Cloud.

At the press conference, Taipei Deputy Mayor Tsai Ping-kun (???) said exceptions can be made to allow in-person classes for 9th graders who have upcoming examinations.

He said elementary schools will not be included in the drill because the city government wants to avoid situations where young children might be left alone at home.

As the number of domestic COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Taiwan, in-person classes have been suspended at 163 schools and four institutions in Taipei, which have total of 61,254 students and staff.

Given the high rate of increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Taipei, Ko said, in-person classes may soon have to be suspended indefinitely.

After the five-day remote learning drill, the measure can be extended for another week, he said.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel