In-person classes have been discontinued for secondary school students at Billabong International Highschool in capital Male' after a teacher tested positive for Covid-19, with classes set to be conducted online for grades 8, 9 and 10 for a period of two weeks.

Speaking to RaajjeMV, Vice Principal of Billabong International School Ismail Shaanim revealed that the teacher had tested positive from a class that was being conducted online following one student having contracted Covid-19, and that the teacher's sample had been tested prior to determining whether the students of that class could return to in-person schooling.

Shaanim added that the student who had tested positive from that class had not contracted the virus at Billabong, and that they had been a direct contact of a positive case which had been confirmed from their home environment. Billabong's Vice-Principal has since confirmed that all other students and staff that have been identified as direct contacts of the teacher and student who tested positive for Covid-19 have had their samples tested for the infection.

Referring to the decision announced to discontinue in-person classes for secondary students at Billabong, Shaanim said that classes would now be conducted online for a period of two weeks as Billabong continues to place the health of students, teachers and staff at the school as their highest priority.

Arrangements have now been made for students of grade 8, 9 and 10 studying at Billabong to continue their classes online for a period of two weeks. Vice-Principal Shaanim reassures that samples from teachers, staff and students would be tested for Covid-19 once more at the end of two weeks, based on the results of which the school will determine whether or not to resume in-person classes for their secondary grade students.

Billabong International School has confirmed that that in-person classes will be on-going for students studying in primary grades.