How will schools reopen from May 11? The Federal Council is due to present its concept next Wednesday. This weekend, the “Tages-Anzeiger” revealed that the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) had proposed to the Conference of Cantonal Directors of Public Education (CDIP) a plan with rules that could evolve according to age.
The Confederation has already stressed that children, especially the youngest, rarely fall ill and do not play an important role in the transmission of the virus. His proposal follows this logic. Pupils, especially those in the lower classes of compulsory school (up to 10 years old), should be able to behave and move as normally as possible in class, on their way to school and in the yards.
For older children, other distance measurements could be considered, because the probability that they fall ill increases (even if it remains low) and that they are more capable of implementing measurements. As for the teachers, they should keep 2 meters between them and with the children.
“I am convinced that the recovery will go well”
Cesla Amarelle Vaud State Councilor
It seems to emerge from these lines that, for children under 10, a distance of 2 meters will not be necessary. But it is not written black on white. The Conference of Cantonal Directors of Public Education (CDIP) does not speak until the Federal Council has made a decision. The OFSP also does not comment on the proposed strategy, stating that these general principles are not yet final.
Vaud Councilor Cesla Amarelle, responsible for public education, also points out that the document in question will be used when it is final and published by the Federal Council. “We are not commenting on a working document on which discussions are being concluded,” she insists.
If the Vaudoise “warmly welcomes” the resumption of teaching in the classroom, she requests that the federal recommendations be “as precise and pragmatic as possible” so that this return “is done in a serene manner”.
For older children, in particular, the door remains open on the measures to be taken. “Our responsibility is to implement the recommendations of the health authorities,” continues Cesla Amarelle. We are not specialists in pandemics, but we will organize class work according to the directions given by the OFSP. What those in charge of training want is to know whether or not a social distance should be kept between children and from what age. “
“A master cannot only stay in front of the class”
Samuel Rohrbach President of the Union of French-speaking teachers
Need for clarity
According to Cesla Amarelle, several scenarios are possible with a view to reopening the schools. Immediately, she awaits the position of the Confederation. “We need this clarity to be able to reorganize our establishments”, she insists, before concluding: “I am convinced that the recovery will go well, but it is important to act with caution to avoid a second wave of disease.”
Samuel Rohrbach, president of the Union of French-speaking teachers, is expecting a complicated return to school. “A teacher cannot only stay in front of the class, he must approach the pupils to see what they are doing,” he emphasizes. The unionist gives other examples: the sheets cannot be disinfected, not all classes have washbasins for washing hands, and some physical education exercises will be impossible.
According to him, the best solution would be to reduce the class size. “This start of the school year is not like all the others,” he concluded. If it takes more time to organize it, we can also put it back a week: distance learning currently practiced works. ” Others go further: this Sunday, the online petition asking not to reopen schools had collected just over 18,000 signatures.
Created: 04/26.2020, 10:20 p.m.
–
