When lifting anti-epidemic measures, schools must have a clear priority and any further closure must be a last resort, more than 20 non-governmental organisations wrote in an open call sent on Monday to President Zuzana Čaputová, Prime Minister Igor Matovič (OLaNO), Parliamentary Chair Boris Kollar (We Are Family) and Education Minister Branislav Groehling (Freedom and Solidarity/SaS). The NGOs demand that full-time teaching in elementary and secondary schools be protected in the same way as hospitals or critical infrastructure. At the same time, they say, it is essential that the way schools are opened does not exacerbate discrimination.
"Full-time teaching at secondary schools in Slovakia has been interrupted since October 12, 2020, and at the second level of elementary schools since October 26, 2020. This is an extremely long time as compared to the countries of Western Europe. Teaching at elementary art schools, language schools and in leisure centres has also been interrupted for the same period of time," stressed the organisations in the call.
The NGOs claim that information about schools is constantly changing and most students do not know the date when they are to return to school, and according to the COVID automaton, it can happen that with the situation possibly worsening again after the lifting of other measures, especially older children will not return to schools by the end of the school year.
