Coronavirus: CNMI schools look to move classes online

2:49 pm on 12 March 2020

Public schools and the only college in the Northern Marianas are considering the idea of moving classes online in the event of a Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak in the islands.

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Photo: 123rf

To prepare for moving classes online, the Northern Marianas College is currently training staff and in case the outbreak reaches local shores.

The public school system is also moving its high school seniors into Google classrooms so they don't lose instructional time and graduate on time.

Governor Ralph Torres yesterday publicly launched the CNMI government's Covid-19 Taskforce made up of 10 key departments and agencies.

The taskforce was currently working on getting federal assistance to cushion the local economy from the downturn caused by the Covid-19 scare, he said.

He also assured the island community that CNMI continued to be coronavirus-free and encouraged everyone to live their lives as normal.

To offset the arrival of the coronavirus, most Pacific countries have imposed strict border controls.

Countries including Vanuatu, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Tonga have brought in health checks and turned away cruise ships in recent weeks.

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