Thursday, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, Ahmad Al-Masaafa, confirmed that face-to-face learning will continue in schools, and the first semester’s final exams will be held in-person as scheduled.

Speaking to Roya’s Akhbar Al Sabea, Masaafa said that school students make up a significant number of the total increase in COVID-19 cases in Jordan.

However, he indicated that the rate of coronavirus cases among students and teaching staff is only 0.005 percent, therefore the epidemiological situation is under control.

He stressed that learning in the second semester will be face-to-face in schools, hence, the rumors of shifting to distance learning are inaccurate.

Masaafa declared that face-to-face education is the standard protocol, and distance learning was chosen out of necessity.

He continued, "The epidemiological situation in schools is reassuring and under control, and calls for more caution in adhering to health requirements."

The health protocol governs the procedures for dealing with the epidemiological situation in schools, said Masaafa, noting that if the percentage of COVID-19 cases in classrooms or school reaches 10 percent, then that school will switch to online learning.