Distance learning will also be compulsory for preschoolers. The government approved the amendment

If the Ministry of Health or the Regional Hygiene Station issued an extraordinary epidemiological measure and quarantine prevented the personal presence of the majority of pupils or students from at least one class, study group, department or course, “the school will be obliged to provide distance education and adapt distance education to the conditions or student ”. This means that if a pupil does not have the opportunity to participate in online teaching, teachers must provide another way of communication, such as picking up the curriculum at school or making a telephone call.

Apologies and evaluations are regulated by school regulations

However, the amendment leaves it to the principals how the pupils will evaluate or approach their absence in such a case. “Schools should set rules for apology in the case of distance learning. The same applies to the rules for evaluation, where school rules should include an adjustment of evaluation for these extraordinary situations, “states Plag’s material.

Kindergartens, where the last year is compulsory for five-year-olds and older children, will also have to deal with an unusual situation. “We were already dealing with such a situation in the spring, when we had to close the kindergarten because of an infected child. We managed to do it without any problems, we communicate with our parents regularly, so we sent them various educational applications and agreed with them what to practice with their children, “Eva Cichoňová, director of Angelka Kindergarten in Prague 12, told Deník.

Technological prehistory

The lack of computer equipment of primary schools appears to be a major obstacle to distance learning. For example, the head of the Association of Elementary School Principals Michal Černý estimates that a quarter of schools need to supplement it. Plaga insisted that the government will release 1.2 billion crowns for the purchase of IT equipment, mainly the purchase of laptops for teachers. Schools will have to buy them by the end of the year.

The amendment now travels to the Chamber of Deputies, where deputies should discuss it in a state of legislative emergency. The pirates have already announced that they will not support it in this form.

Combined teaching is missing

“The introduction of distance learning does not address its parameters, control and evaluation, nor any sanctions for non-compliance with legal obligations. Even for these reasons, I am afraid that it will negatively affect a much wider group of pupils and parents who understand the need for education but do not have ideal conditions for it, “said Lukáš Bartoň (Pirates), vice-chairman of the school committee. He is also annoyed by the fact that the template lacks the possibility of a combined form of teaching, where pupils go to school in small groups on some days for modified full-time teaching and on other days they are educated remotely.

ČOSIV’s opinion on the amendment to the Education Act:
We consider the enactment of compulsory distance education in the wording proposed in the draft law to be justified, but we lack regulation that takes into account various special educational needs and reflects the diverse living conditions of children.

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