Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1226904
3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 MARCH 2020 NEWS Social distancing This is the practice of reducing close contact between people to slow the spread of COVID-19. This includes limiting large groups of people coming together, closing buildings and cancelling events. Gardening, Reading a book, Listening to music, Group video chats, Calling a friend, Cleaning the house, Online courses, Watching a movie, Indoor physical activity, Board games, Visiting virtual museums SAFE TO DO Actions that communities can take to reduce the spread of COVID-19 AVOID USE CAUTION Picnics, Group gatherings, Sleepovers, Playdates, Concerts, Shopping arcades, Unnecessary trips using public transport (including ferry boats), Visitors at home Picking up medication, Going to a supermarket C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Coronavirus - New Advert Eng & Mlt - 2020 (3).pdf 1 26/03/2020 05:56:17 "We are giving the flexibility to each student to decide for themselves. If they pass their predictive assessment, they will be given a level 2 or level 3 certifi- cate. But regardless if they pass or don't pass, they will have the chance to sit for their exams in September," Bonnici said. A-levels A-level and Intermediate-level exams won't take place in the session starting from 23 April, Bonnici said. The A- and Int-level sessions will be postponed to September 2020, with students soon to be sent a timetable and all relevant de- tails. The sessions will be more compact so as not to introduce in the scholastic year starting in October. Students will also be entitled to sit for a resit session in December. Students who don't pass the required exams in the September session will still be al- lowed to start post-secondary courses at University and MCAST and other institutions as students on probation – they will then be able to do their re- sits in October, and if they pass, will be confirmed as students. University and MCAST In the case of university, exams will still take place during the normal June sessions, except for some exceptions where clinical placements or teaching practice have not yet taken place. For the majority of courses, exams will take place during the normal time- frame, but students will not have to come to exam halls. Instead, they will be graded according to work they al- ready submitted to the online VLE sys- tems. Medical students' placements for final year MD students are already taking place in areas of the hospital which is not seeing COVID-19 patients. Once the placements are over, exams will take place within the normal timeframe as long as examiners are not too occu- pied with hospital work which has esca- lated due to the coronavirus. For third and fourth-year medical stu- dents, their placements will take place in subsequent years. For MCAST stu- dents, assessments will take place on- line or through assignments. mcosta@mediatoday.com.mt