The new school year in Romania, in a different format
Measures for the resumption of classes in the new schoolyear in Romania will be taken in keeping with the epidemiological condition of each and every locality across the country.
Ştefan Stoica, 19.08.2020, 14:00
The ongoing pandemic has been threatening peoples lives, also making the functioning of institutions more complicated. As for schools, they are no exception to that. Romania has succeeded to carry through an atypical school year, practically deprived of the second semester, because of the risks posed by the accelerated spread of the virus which could jeopardize pupils lives, had they been present in educational units. It is against this backdrop that the debate targeting online schooling has occurred. The question looms, as to whether Romania is capable of resorting to this emergency solution, from an administrative point of view. Deputy Prime Minister Raluca Turcan vowed the government was prepared for the teaching-learning process to be held online, should the epidemiological situation get worse. To that effect, tablets have been purchased and discussions are in progress to provide the required internet networks for the educational process.
Deputy Prime Minister Raluca Turcan:
“Teachers have taken courses, during the ongoing summer season, for online teaching. The Education Ministry has purchased 250,000 tablets and we, at the Government, have identified European funding, 100 million Euros, for the discount we offer to the local authorities, for the purchase of another 500,000 tablets.”
The new school year opens on September 14. As for the authorities, they will have to do their job taking several scenarios into account. A draft of an executive order issued by the Healthcare Ministry has been posted on the Ministrys official page, stipulating that, by September 7, the Public Healthcare Directorates should inform school inspectorates and emergency situation committees regarding the epidemiological situation for each and every locality across the country, so that the required measures should be implemented for the start of the school year. Specifically, according to the total number of new contamination cases reported for 1,000 people in the last 14 days, the decision will be taken as to how the teaching-learning process will be held, on the school premises or online. Should three medically confirmed COVID-19 contamination cases occur in different classes of the same school, courses will be suspended for 14 days, starting from the debut date of the most recent contamination. A one-meter physical distancing between pupils will be provided in classrooms, while pupils desks will have transparent partitions. Pupils and teachers will wear sanitary protection masks during classes but also during breaks, as long as both pupils and teachers are on the premises. The executive order issued by the Healthcare Ministry also stipulates uncompromising cleaning and disinfection measures, the rigorous hygiene of the hands and avoiding pupils moving from one classroom to another during one single day at school. Wherever possible, a longer time span will be provided between breaks, to curtail the number of persons using the restrooms or walking about the schoolyard. Physical education classes held in the gym halls should only include activities that do not require intense physical effort. Also, a one meter and a half distancing will have to be maintained, in which case wearing the sanitary protection mask is not compulsory. The teachers who fall ill have the responsibility of notifying the managing board of the educational unit they are employed by. In turn, the school will inform the county Public Healthcare Directorate. Also, an area must be created in every school, for the temporary lockdown of the suspect contamination cases. And, last but not the least, parents will be encouraged to monitor their childrens condition and act in a responsible manner.
(Translation by Eugen Nasta)
