A week of distance learning after the fall break has caused anxiety for parents: explained to whom it will be mandatory

One of them is the fall break for students and the introduction of a week-long distance education in all schools.

Parents of preschool and preschool-age children were concerned that this method would also apply to them, but the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports (ŠMSM) was quick to clarify the information. According to the ministry, the government agreed that as of October 26. until November 8. For two weeks in general education schools for students in grades 5-12 and in vocational institutions, a contact education break would be announced: as usual, students would take a week off and the following week would study remotely.

The MES also emphasized that:

• Primary students will return to schools after a week of leave, they will not be covered by distance education, unless the municipalities where the quarantine has been announced decide otherwise.
• in kindergartens, children will be educated in a contact manner, unless the municipalities where the quarantine has been announced decide otherwise.
• Non-formal education for children of all ages starting October 26. two weeks will be done remotely only or, if this is not possible, activities will be temporarily suspended. Distance education assistance will also be provided.
• Higher education institutions are advised to organize their studies remotely for the next two weeks, but they have the right to decide for themselves whether to carry out their studies in this way or in the usual way.

The Ministry of Health (SAM) has also announced restrictions for all of Lithuania and additional restrictions for quarantined cities; in both cases, the restrictions on children’s education were the same. The ministry emphasized that students in grades 5-12 will have to study remotely during the week after the holidays, and children in preschool, preschool, elementary and vocational education programs will continue to be educated in the usual way.

Monitor how the situation develops

The representatives of the large municipalities have indicated that they will assess the general situation, but they do not plan any changes for all educational institutions.

There is no shortage of coronavirus in the capital, but the deputy of the mayor of Vilnius Remigijus Šimašius, Edita Tamošiūnaitė, whose area of ​​supervision is the preschool education of children, emphasized that changes in the municipality also depend on the instructions of the commission of emergency management.

“Currently kindergartens in Vilnius are open, only one until October 28 is closed and not working, say, because several cases of coronavirus have been reported. However, this is the only one out of 138 kindergartens. that doesn’t work.

There are also dozens of kindergartens in which one or more groups are in isolation. I want to emphasize that if self-isolation is necessary for the group or, as I mentioned earlier, the entire daycare is not working, then the parents may not be able to work. If the kindergarten works, of course there is supervision and education. “

According to the deputy mayor, the rapid spread of the infection surprises every day and this makes the situation difficult to predict, for example, in two weeks.

“However, we are ready to respond immediately and our team has gained a lot of experience during this period since the spring. If the kindergarten group is isolated or the kindergarten is closed, the parents are unable to work.

Paulius Keras, deputy director of the Kaunas city administration, emphasized that the closure of general education institutions is not yet planned and that parents of preschool children should not panic either.

At the moment, having received these recommendations, we believe that they are detailed enough and we will try to follow what is foreseen for all municipalities. We are also coordinating with the National Center for Public Health, awaiting their proposals, we have already received some proposals and we are discussing them, ”he said.

He also indicated that if there were expert recommendations and some basis, then he would think of some additional measures.

“We now believe that what the government is proposing is a sufficiently broad list of measures and we will simply take steps to implement them.”

Mr Keras commented that the nurseries would function as they did and would only be closed if outbreaks of infection broke out.

“For the time being, the same procedure will be applied as before,” said a Kaunas representative.

Found in the red zone, but not everyone plans to close

However, due to the government’s traffic map, it is unclear whether the red zone municipalities will not ultimately decide to close all educational institutions after the introduction of quarantine, as they are also allowed to make some decisions on their own.

Raseiniai d. in the municipality, the local quarantine was extended until November 6. and here the process of education and childcare and educational activities in all educational institutions, day centers and employment stopped, by organizing the educational process remotely. Joniskis d. municipality until November 9. It also decided to limit the educational process: it was decided to organize employment activities for children and young people remotely.

Delfi also contacted several other mayors of the “reddened” municipalities. Dive d. Mayor Andrius Klišonis highlighted the exceptional position of his municipality.

“In fact, I have not yet received the full text, because the Government’s draft resolutions were the same, and an additional opinion was expressed while listening to the Government’s own meeting. In fact, you want to have the full text and we will review it again tonight and tomorrow we will have a meeting of the Emergency Management Commission.

We certainly want kindergartens and primary classes to work together. It is children of this age who cannot be alone at home and the rights of children would speak beforehand, ”he said.

The mayor emphasized that Plungė is an industrial city, so the universal application of distance education in both kindergartens and primary schools would do a lot of damage to local businesses.

“People who can work remotely are already working in most of our companies, but those who work in sewing shops, on the conveyor belt, in construction, in road maintenance, could not work for children. Such a situation would be very bad, “said A. Klišonis.

Kelmė Rlep Mayor Egidijus Uksas reported that in his municipality, without waiting for instructions from the central government, students are studying remotely for the second week.

“The kindergartens are still working, but it is also planned to switch to distance education. We had two cases in two educational institutions and we decided not to wait for the indicators,” he explained.

Skuodo r. Mayor Petras Pušinskas emphasized that it has become a quarantined municipality and is now awaiting official instructions from the competent ministries, what the recommendations will be and what will be strictly applied.

“Until now, we have made a decision in the municipal emergency commission that where there have been contacts with the sick, decisions have been made there. We also had fireplaces in the schools, but the appropriate measures were taken there, we know where the areas of the district are most affected. However, we do not want the same shoe to be used in all educational institutions ”.

According to him, as soon as the recommendations are received, they will be used to see what applies.

“In my personal opinion, if there is no focus, then preschool, preschool and primary education should be the contact, since they do not receive such distance education. Of course, the safety requirements must be met. Of course, if there is a problem somewhere, then you must be able to work remotely. I think we should try to maintain that socialization as much as possible, “the mayor summarized.