The educational system has never faced the kind of operational uncertainty it has faced in the last 20 months. A few weeks from the beginning of the scholastic year, heads of schools, parents, and teachers are baffled by the educational authorities’ lack of clear guidelines.
Admittedly the development of COVID-19 remains unpredictable with the consequence that the health authorities often have to reverse decisions aimed at accelerating the return to normality. No one can seriously challenge the concept that the government should give safety the highest consideration when issuing public health directives.
However, the long-term effects of preventing students from returning to the classroom after almost two years of disrupted teaching methods must never be underestimated. Students benefit from in-person learning, and safely returning to in-person instruction in autumn is also a priority.
The scant information coming from the education authorities indicates that post-secondary students will return to in-person learning in September. The majority of these students have been vaccinated, and as such, they present a lower risk of getting seriously ill if they contract COVID-19.
However, primary and secondary schools are likely to operate similarly to last year. This means mandatory indoor mask-wearing for all students, staff, teachers and visitors to primary and secondary schools regardless of vaccination status. It also means that the concept of the bubble will still be observed to prevent unnecessary contact.
