Flemish education is reintroducing mouth masks into secondary. In addition, they are maintained in the 5th and 6th grade, where they were previously introduced. Flemish Education Minister Ben Weyts (N-VA) confirms this on Wednesday evening after an education meeting after the Consultation Committee.
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As for the face mask in the classroom, the communities themselves can decide whether to introduce it under the age of 12.
“Flemish education has decided that it will follow the evolution in the rest of society,” the cabinet of Minister Weyts reported in a press release on Wednesday evening. “That is why the mouth masks will return to secondary education from November 20th and will be maintained in the 5th and 6th grade, following the tightening of the mouth mask obligation in the rest of society from the age of 10.”
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Indeed, the Consultation Committee decided to extend the general mask obligation in our country extendable to the age of 10 years. Provide the gold from 12 years.
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The mouth masks can be taken off in the classroom when everyone is sitting still, distance is kept and there is ventilation, it continues. There will be no masks for 8 or 9 year olds. Earlier there had been a lot of discussion about a possible extension of the mask obligation for children from 9 years old. “The scientific insights are not in unison. There is doubt about that, and I think, if there is doubt, give the benefit of the doubt to the children,” says Weyts.
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On the other hand, the existing guidelines for ventilation and CO2 measurement will be further tightened, just as is now happening in the workplace, the education minister said.
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“The most important thing is that school and free time remain open and free”
“In any case, the decision made is a very expensive price that children and young people have to pay: they will have to spend the vast majority of the day masked. That is a reality that most adults can ignore, they are only obliged to telecommute as much as possible,” responds Amir Bachrouri, chairman of the Flemish Youth Council.
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The Youth Council therefore calls on policymakers to remain critical of the strict measures and to withdraw the mouth mask obligation as soon as possible, if the virological situation allows. She also hopes that the promise will be kept to continue as many leisure activities as possible. “Blind deletions are not possible, not even by provincial or local authorities. The past 19 months have shown how important it is for children and young people to continue to see their peers.” “And certainly the youth work has always turned a thousand corners to make this possible. Let’s not be blind to that and do everything we can to make it happen this winter too.”
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The Flemish School Dome understands the decision to reintroduce mouth masks from the fifth grade. “We are pleased that the minister has decided that the mask should not be worn at all times,” said chairman Mauro Michielsen. “At the same time, we are also happy that trips can continue, because they are class binding and can boost the well-being of the students.”
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‘The last miles’
The Weyts cabinet emphasizes that the education field has been strongly committed to ventilation since the start of the pandemic. “Last school year, schools already received funds that could also be used to purchase CO2 meters. The use of CO2 meters was permanently recommended. The government and the education providers subsequently followed a strict policy with regard to ventilation, ventilation and CO2 measurement. With success: about 90 percent of Flemish schools are currently working with CO2 measurement, according to a survey.”
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But the education field will now also travel ‘the last miles’ and ensure the phased introduction of extra CO2 meters where necessary, it is said, “so that in principle all schools can start working with CO2 measurement in every classroom”. The Flemish Government will cooperate with the education providers for this and will also make extra resources available for this.
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Priority for teachers in the third shot?
The education field also repeats on Wednesday the question to give priority to primary education staff in the third shot: “that would be the greatest appreciation for all the work being done today in the schools and the CLBs”.
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“The fourth wave is so serious that solidarity is demanded from the whole of society and between the sectors,” says Lieven Boeve, director-general of Catholic Education Flanders, in a response. “Obviously, we also want to contribute from education. We hope that measures that limit school life, such as the mouth mask, can disappear as soon as possible. We are also counting on a plan for an accelerated third shot for teaching staff and students and a vaccination plan for under-twelve-year-olds. We thank everyone in society for strictly following all measures, so that we can keep schools open as best as possible in the interest of our students.”
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The new measures will certainly apply until the Christmas holidays.
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Opposition to proposal for a mouth mask from 9 years: “Not innocent for their development”
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Read all about the coronavirus in our file
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