How are other countries preparing for the return to school?

After a few months with schools closed and distance learning, many countries have already announced the guidelines for the return to in-person classes. Mask, no mask. Distance, no distance. The discrepancies are many, but there is one common point: everyone agrees that virtual school is an unsustainable regime - it is estimated that Covid-19 has affected more than 1.5 billion students worldwide. Each country is dealing with the pandemic differently and it is not yet known which approach is the most effective regarding education. Meanwhile, many students have already started returning to classes. In this article, we present some of the established rules.

SPAIN

Rules vary from region to region, but in general the use of masks will only be mandatory if distancing is not maintained. Students should sit one meter apart, without masks, whenever possible. To maintain this distance, it may be necessary to remove all non-essential furniture from classrooms or gather students in alternative locations, such as laboratories or lecture halls. Only as a last resort should mask use be enforced during classes. 

However, in common areas such as corridors or dining halls, the mask becomes mandatory. Physical education classes should be held outdoors whenever possible, and contact sports, such as basketball or football, should be avoided. If practiced, student groups must remain the same throughout the school year. In music classes, sharing instruments will not be possible. 

In Madrid, the rules are slightly different: upon returning to school, scheduled for September, mask use is not mandatory up to six years old; between six and 12, mask use can be waived if students are only with their usual contact group at school; from 12 years old, it will only be used in cases where a minimum distance of 1.5 meters cannot be maintained. For teachers, the obligation depends on the level of education and the classroom conditions.

ITALY

In Italy, one of the countries most affected by Covid-19, the measures are not so liberal. In addition to the hiring of thousands of teachers, similar to Portugal, the Italian Ministry of Education ordered 3 million individual desks and benches, since the materials currently in many schools do not allow the necessary physical distancing. However, there are fears that the new desks will not arrive in time for the start of classes in September, and some schools have already started to get ahead: they are sawing the benches, turning them into two individual ones.

Masks are mandatory for the entire school community from the age of six — a measure that will be reassessed before the start of classes — and teachers may use face shields as an alternative.

Schools will have some autonomy to make decisions based on each situation, which makes the measures adopted different in each educational institution. Classes should be held outdoors whenever possible. They can also opt for mixed regimes, where attendance at school is staggered and classes are simultaneously broadcast online. Secondary schools are the ones that concern the Ministry of Education the most, and some already have plans to proceed with mixed teaching. 

ENGLAND

The return to in-person classes at the beginning of September is no longer optional and becomes mandatory for all students. The main measure to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus is the creation of student groups (classes or education levels) and to avoid as much as possible that these groups intersect during the day, through frequent cleaning of spaces. 

Schools must also be in constant contact with health authorities, who will conduct tests whenever there are suspected cases. The British government also has a major concern: public transport. It is necessary to reduce demand and increase supply, especially during peak hours. Schools have been asked to encourage teachers and students to walk or cycle to school, whenever possible.

GERMANY

It was the first country in Europe to return to in-person teaching, opting for a phased return. The 2020/2021 school year started in August already with the new measures applied: the rules allow young people not to wear masks in classrooms - only when moving through corridors - nor to maintain a minimum physical distance. Students were divided by age group, both during breaks and in cafeterias, avoiding mixing of different classes and years. Thus, if someone tests positive, it will not be necessary to close the entire school, only one class or one year will be isolated in quarantine.

As in Portugal, a multi-million euro investment in laptops was made for students with the greatest financial needs.

SCOTLAND

Scotland opted for a phased return, but by September 18 all schools should be operating at 100%. Some chose to first receive the youngest students, while others are dividing students alphabetically. One-way corridors were also created to avoid crossings, so students do not pass the same place twice. Masks are not mandatory during classes, and libraries and auditoriums were transformed into classrooms to ensure distancing between students. Older students were only asked to avoid hugs, which is causing complaints from teachers. They must keep two meters away from students and wear masks whenever they are near other teachers.

UNITED STATES

In the United States of America, the country that has recorded the most Covid-19 cases so far, in some regions, classes have already resumed, despite the number of outbreaks not decreasing. The lack of rules to contain the pandemic in educational establishments has led many students and teachers to the streets, protesting against the situation experienced in the country. The preparation of teachers for the new school year involves investing in life insurance and some have even made a will. In reality, they face a difficult choice: working without guaranteed safety conditions or not working at all.

Although in the last 15 days, the daily number of cases has been around 50,000 (about 9 times more than in Portugal), students are not required to wear masks nor even social distancing.