Gröhling explained what regime awaits schools from September 2. He emphasized the most important rules for pupils and parents interez.sk – Interez.sk

The beginning of the school year is approaching, foci among students will be a big risk. The schools will open in a few days, on September 2. It is expected that all schools will open, as well as all grades. Further information will be added by Education Minister Branislav Gröhling next week.

However, the head of the Ministry of Education stated that from the next school year, schools will not be closed on the basis of his decision or the decision of the Ministry of Education, but based on the decisions of the regional public health authorities. They decide on measures at individual schools based on the current situation

Pupils should be given priority full-time education so that they can meet teachers and peers in schools. Schools do not want to close across the board, but this may be affected by the delta variant, the minister warned.

Conditions from September 2

The return of parents from abroad can complicate the beginning of the school year. Gröhling drew attention to a valid decree of the Public Health Office. Parents must be aware that if they are not vaccinated, they must also go to a 14-day quarantine with their children.

If the parents have a child over 12 years of age and are not vaccinated, they follow the rules of the ÚVZ and go to quarantine. On the 5th day, this child goes for a PCR test and if the result is negative, his quarantine ends.

The second option is if the child is less than 12 years old. This is done according to whether the parents are vaccinated or not. Such a child is exempted from quarantine only if the parents are vaccinated. If they are not vaccinated, the whole family goes to a 14-day quarantine. Only 20% of children are vaccinated.

Gröhling has already reported on cities where some classrooms in schools are likely to close very soon. These are schools in the towns of Gelnica, Košice, Stará Ľubovňa, Spišská Nová Ves, Poprad, Svidník, Kysucké Nové Mesto, Poltár, Vranov Nad Topľou, Humenné. Vaccination of children and teachers is very low here, there is a risk that outbreaks will break out quickly and schools will have to close.

3 basic rules

Gröhling introduced 3 basic rules that schools, students and parents will have to follow and respect.

• Schools will no longer be closed across the board, in the COVID vending machine the schools are open in every color, in case of positivity individual classes will be closed by the decision of the ÚVZ
• No test is required to enter schools
• In the case of a positive person and quarantine, we follow the regulations of the ÚVZ, this applies in particular to who and when is quarantined.

Functioning of schools

Upon entering schools, funds will be sent automatically for the safe start of schools. Schools will receive EUR 5 per pupil and staff member, kindergartens will receive EUR 5 per staff member and EUR 150 per school as a whole. They can be used for disinfection, protective equipment and the like. Finances will arrive automatically by 31.8.

Regarding primary schools (1st and 2nd grade) and special schools, on boarding, one-off, free and voluntary testing by gargling tests will be allowed. Testing will run from 2nd to 5th September, is intended for everyone, even vaccinated children. At the first start of school and after each interruption of school, which lasts for three or more consecutive days, the parent submits to the school a “written declaration of asymptomaticness” of the pupil. The school entrance test will not be compulsory.

During the school year, schools will operate with the so-called self-tests. These will be short-rod antigen tests that schools will provide if interested. There will be 25 tests per child. They will be ordered by the schools themselves. Children can also be tested at home with the help of their parents. Of course, the standard hygiene rules that schools already know will apply.

The parent can excuse the student for a maximum of 5 consecutive days. If a parent abuses this excuse, the student may face commission tests. Entitlement to the Czech Republic it is only if the whole class closes, not if the parent excuses the student. If there is a positive student in the class, the whole class goes into 14-day quarantine and moves on to distance education.

The principal will not be able to close the whole school, he will only close individual classes if there is a positive case. Only those go to quarantinewho were in contact with a positive person 2 days before the positive test. When a child has a positive test on Friday, everyone who has been in contact with him since Wednesday goes to quarantine.

Vaccinated children or those who have survived the coronavirus in the last 180 days will not be quarantined. However, if the whole class is at home, they will still be educated remotely. If the school allows it, they can also study in full-time. For example, if it happens that in a class where there are 30 students, 25 are vaccinated and one is positive, only four students who are not vaccinated (and have not overcome the disease in the last 180 days) will be quarantined.

The chances of the children not becoming infected are very low

Documents will be available on the Ministry’s website, there will also be a school traffic light. Children will wear a veil in schools, respirators are mandatory in the worse stages. The Minister does not recommend the organization of outdoor schools, events, ski, ribbon and the like. If the school organizes it, it is governed by the conditions of mass events.

As for dormitories for special, secondary and primary schools, accommodation will be provided to all full-time students. Testing or vaccination is highly recommended. At universities, each school sets its own. For example, they can only allow accommodation to the OTP group, and thus to the vaccinated, tested and coronavirus surrogates.

Pediatrician and specialist Elena Prokopová she said the chances of the child not becoming infected are low. However, if we do not stop life in the state, which no one wants anymore, the probability of infection is high. However, schools will do their utmost to slow down transmission and keep the risk to a minimum. It is important what charge the child receives and also how he will continue to behave as infected. Whether, for example, they will observe quarantine after holidays or after contact with a positive person. That is why veils are mandatory, they minimize the risk of infection.

We are updating the report.