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Most students will return to classes on May 18, alternately and wearing a mask. All schoolwork and gym classes are canceled for the remainder of the school year.
“Locking it was certainly easier than unlocking it,” Education Minister Heinz Faßmann (ÖVP) said Friday at his long-awaited press conference on relaxation in schools. Quickly locked up. Unlocking is now slow.
According to the Minister, this decision was “extremely difficult”. A balance must be weighed here between protection against infection, on the one hand, and education, on the other. The opinions of experts and parents would often differ widely. The federal government has opted for a gradual reopening. All students must return before the summer break. As long as “everything goes well, and the number of infections does not increase again,” said Minister Fassmann. In doing so, they will also closely monitor pioneers of school openings in Denmark and Norway. The details of the schedule.
Staggered plan
Not everyone will return to the school building at the same time. As announced, Matura, final vocational middle school classes and apprentices in the last vocational school year will begin on May 4. That is a total of 100,000 young people. Lessons for children ages 6 to 14 start again two weeks later, on May 18. On this date, all elementary schools, new middle schools, secondary high schools, and special schools open. With that, 700,000 students return. (There will be teacher conferences the previous Friday, May 15, which was appointed by Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.) The next step is planned for June 3. All 15 and several year olds return. This means that there will also be on-site lessons for the 300,000 students in upper secondary schools, vocational colleges (BHS) and polytechnics.
Exchange operation
Back at school, the required safe distance must be maintained. Therefore, only a few students can be present at the same time. There will be a shift operation. As “Die Presse” already reported, classes will be divided into two (this will not be necessary in small and very small schools). For example, the division must be alphabetical. So that the brothers can go to school the same days. Group A is taught from Monday to Wednesday and group B on Thursdays and Fridays. Next week is the other way around. Therefore, students will continue to be home two or three days a week until summer break. The minister speaks of “homework days”.
Watch out
For many working parents, the problem of child care persists for at least half the days. The Minister of Education is also aware of this. Therefore, on “homework days” there will be supervision in the schools, in the gym, by teachers. Children can be brought to school, but not necessarily. “I ask parents to consider taking care of their children at home,” said Fassmann. Otherwise, there could be no “despoesía” in the schools.
Schedule
In principle, the above schedule should be maintained. Only gymnastics and music classes can no longer take place this school year. That is “virologically sensitive”. The idea of teaching only in core subjects has obviously been rejected. But there will be time limits. In this school year, teaching is only in the morning. (If this also applies to all-day schools, supervision will also be available there in the afternoon.) In middle schools and lower grades, as the minister says, gym classes would generally take place in the afternoon anyway. This should be more difficult for the upper grades. Afternoon classes are essential here. In either case, the substance should generally be reduced. It is not necessary to review all the chapters of the book.
Qualification
There will be no more school work this year. Semester grades are decisive for the annual certificate. In addition, work done before school closes in the second semester will be included, as well as participation during distance learning. Students in between two grades can take an oral exam. There will be no sessions at the elementary school this year. Except for parents, in all other types of schools, you can exceptionally come up with a five. A conference decision is not required. Sitting is not completely abolished.
More expensive
There is a separate hygiene manual for the “new normal” in schools, as “Die Presse” already reported. You can only enter the building with nose and mouth protection. Students must carry the mask with them from home. It is only available to them in exceptional cases. The teachers have masks. If possible, students should arrive home late. There they must follow the marks of the ground. During breaks, classes with a strange name (first class, third class) must remain in the classroom. Only others can leave.
At-risk group
Students should return. But you don’t have to. All students who, for whatever reason, cannot attend classes can withdraw. They are considered excused. Even without a medical certificate. The situation is somewhat different for teachers. Educators with past illnesses or at-risk family members at home can stay home. But you need a medical certificate. Teachers in the age-specific risk group can, but do not have to teach. Everyone must be available for online lessons. The minister could not estimate how many teachers would be missing from classes.
Kinder garden
This time, Faßmann also commented on kindergartens: “even if I only have a partial right to it under competition law.” Most countries and municipalities are responsible here. The minister called on operators to receive all children in need of care without requiring confirmation from the employer. “If possible” there should also be work shifts here.
(“Die Presse”, print edition, April 25, 2020)
