Commitment to classroom teaching from September

Speaking on Thursday, the minister added that he agreed with parents who have started a petition for classroom teaching from September. "I totally agree with this initiative, as it is the initiative of the education ministry. The basic scenario on which we are working is face-to-face teaching, which is the most important from an educational point of view and is especially so for infant, primary and early secondary stages if there is to be appropriate teaching and socialisation."

There are, however, three scenarios. One of these is normality, another is a return to confinement, and the third is a hybrid model, depending on any further outbreak of the virus.

Teachers, March explained, will need to return to schools on June 19 to begin preparations for the next school year, organise classrooms, and close the current school year. "We are concerned about completing this school year well. It will be finished virtually, but our aim is to start again in a classroom setting."

All schools, he said, will have to make contingency plans, and he wanted "the whole educational community to participate in the planning committee for the 2020-2021 academic year". And for the next school year, there will be a request for financial assistance from the national education ministry for purchasing protection material, increasing dining-room services, digitalisation, and increasing teacher numbers.