 Fellows and Lucients. During my last address on September 12, 2021, which signaled the formal reopening of school, I was fully aware of the uncertainties that confronted the education sector. Whereas I was pleased that school was reopening, I was also cognizant of the range of issues surrounding the distributed learning approach, which I would have mentioned in my address back then. At that time, the number of active COVID cases in country was in excess of 2400, and averaged about 150 new cases daily. During the period of initial reopening, the Ministry of Education continued to monitor the health situation and engaged stakeholders with a view to making the necessary preparations for face-to-face teacher-student interaction once the conditions were deemed safe by the Ministry of Health. On Monday, October 11, the Minister responsible for health, the Honorable Moses Jabatis, publicly announced that the Cabinet of Ministers, acting on the advice of the National COVID Management Committee, gave approval that allowed for the phased face-to-face opening of schools for the selected grade levels as of October 18. In an effort to allow the stakeholders involved, including parents and teachers, to adequately prepare, the Ministry of Education found it necessary to sanction the phased face-to-face reopening effective October 25, 2021. In other words, the health authorities gave the all-clear for face-to-face classes to resume on Monday, October 18. However, the Ministry of Education in its wisdom opted for Monday, October 25, so as to allow all concerned to prepare. The consensus amongst educators is that face-to-face schooling allows for more constructive engagements between students and teachers, and we are therefore pleased that conditions are now favorable to allow some of the critical grade levels, namely kindergarten, grade 6, from 4 and from 5, to return. We can all appreciate the challenges of the COVID environment on the education sector. As we reintegrate, I wish to remind all that it cannot be business as usual. Let us be creative and innovative and not let our guard down as we seek to ensure that our nation's children are not further disadvantaged. Let us allow the teaching and learning process to be facilitated in an environment that caters for the unique challenges of students in an effort to ensure that no child is left behind. Parents, we know the challenges at your end. However, I urge you to be patient. I implore you to be steadfast in supporting your children in whatever modality they are engaged in, be it online, face-to-face, or the utilization of teacher-prepared packages. The sacrifices that you make will go a long way in your child's development. We note the dynamism of the current environment and the new shape of global education. As a government, we will do all that we can to ensure that our children are not left behind. We shall continue along the path of strengthening our e-education ecosystem by rolling out new initiatives and restoring previously conceived ones such as the one laptop per child program. We appreciate the inescapable role that technology plays in delivering quality education. And so in the coming weeks, we will intensify our efforts at sourcing more devices for the students and teachers in our school system. It is anticipated that during this academic year, we will provide between 7,000 and 10,000 devices to teachers and students in the school system. As the ministry continues its thrust in making the education system one which is more relevant, more inclusive, more equitable, and one which embraces and leverages new methods of instruction and learning, we shall continue to strengthen the other components of the system, including improved and more equitable access to Wi-Fi broadband and the provision of training opportunities for retooling and upskilling our educators. In collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of China Taiwan, the U.S. Embassy, and the A&M University in Texas, we will be trading a cadre of teachers in cybersecurity and cybersecurity with a view to protecting our students and teachers from the threats that exist online. The program is also intended to make our students and teachers more responsible users of the technology at their disposal. I cannot overemphasize the commitment to safeguarding the health and safety of all students, teachers and staff. As mentioned in the ministry's last press statement, we solicit the support of all involved to ensure that the protocols delineated in the education continuity plan are maintained. We also urge parents, guardians, students, and the wider community to continue observing the prescribed health protocols as compliance will ensure that our students are not further disadvantaged. Principal, teachers, school counselors, we are getting asked for close monitoring of our students. Find the time to listen and understand their experiences in an effort to provide the necessary psychosocial support and other interventions required. Where possible, please provide the added support to students who have been most adversely impacted. There are some in our midst who are of the view that we should not be opening up for physical classes at this juncture. That assertion is wrong. Our decision to reopen is rooted in careful analysis of the situation in country by the competent authorities. Our children need to be in school where they rightfully belong, and for many the school is the safest place to be. There will be challenges along the way as we strive for a full reintegration of students across the board. I am hoping that by next week we will be in a position to announce the commencement of face-to-face classes for all remaining students. The situation at hand calls for us to become yet focused. We will not be deterred, neither shall we cover from the tough decisions to be made for the good of this country and ultimately for the benefit of our children. I wish all principals, teachers, support staff, students and parents a successful return to face-to-face schooling. On behalf of the Honourable Prime Minister, my cabinet colleagues, the senior management team of the Ministry of Education, and on behalf of the citizens of our beloved country, I wish to thank our teachers, principals, and silvery and administrative staff for the tremendous and invaluable work that you have been doing throughout this challenging period, and I wish God's guidance and blessings upon you.