“The reopening of schools is confirmed on September 14”

Viterbo – Mayor Arena postpones the decision on the start of the lessons: “He guaranteed that the institutes will be able to offer the service in security, on Saturday 12 a new inspection”

Viterbo – Mayor Arena visits schools Viterbo – Mayor Arena visits schools Viterbo – Mayor Arena visits schools Viterbo – Mayor Arena visits schools

Viterbo – We receive and publish – This morning, together with the Councilor for Public Education Micci, I visited the schools in the municipal area to reassure myself about their reopening with total security, starting next September 14.

In dealing with school principals, I found concern about the current staff shortage, both for the teaching staff and for the school’s collaborators. A deficiency that could negatively affect compliance with the regulatory provisions on Covid-19.

The perplexities expressed by school leaders led me to consider a possible postponement of the reopening of the schools for a few days. As a health authority, and to protect the health of our Ata students, teachers, and staff, I thought it appropriate to postpone it to September 24th.

In the afternoon I received ample assurances from both the provincial school director and the regional school office director. I was guaranteed that, as of September 14, the schools will have all the necessary personnel to offer a school service in total safety. This being the case, I considered it appropriate to postpone the preparation of the ordinance that would have led to postponing the start of the lessons.

I will be concerned to carry out a new inspection of the schools on Saturday 12 September so that the principals of the schools ensure the presence of the necessary teaching and non-teaching staff.

I also continue to be of the opinion that this ministerial decision to restart teaching activities on September 14, and then suspend them after three days, due to activities related to the referendum, generates a strong disorientation in families and even more so among students, since rehearsed for abrupt interruption last March. To this is added a double sanitation to be carried out within the schools that house the electoral colleges.

Perhaps, all this, the Ministry of Education could have avoided restarting the new school year directly on September 24.

Finally, I want to address a thought to school administrators, teachers, and all staff working in various capacities within the school. What is about to begin will be a busy year. A sincere wish to do well for this delicate school year that is about to begin.

Giovanni Maria Arena
Mayor of Viterbo

September 9, 2020