Pupils in secondary education should still return to 100% in-person teaching after the Easter Holidays, despite the rising coronavirus infection rates, according to Flemish minister of Education Ben Weyts.
In schools in Flanders, a 98% increase in infections among staff was reported, according to figures released on Wednesday, which resulted in face masks becoming mandatory in fifth and sixth grades of primary schools in the region, and a delay of the return to full-time education.
"The situation is not good, and that is why we are making choices. However, I still want to keep primary education fully open, and it remains the firm will and ambition to open up secondary education completely after the Easter holidays, with 100% contact education," Weyts told Radio 1.
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Pupils between the ages of 14 and 16 in secondary schools were expected to return to school full-time from 29 March, but this has been delayed until after the Easter holidays.
“However, everything depends on the evolution of the pandemic. It's still five weeks away, we don’t know what kind of world we will be living in then,” Weyts said.
He also repeated his plea for the vaccinations of teachers to become a priority, saying he does not understand why, after the care sector and the over-65s, only the police intervention units have been given priority.
"Teachers also have close contact with other people, don't they?” he added.
Lauren Walker
The Brussels Times
