What to expect from the next return to school?

'In the midst of all the uncertainty and instability caused by Covid19, the Ministry of Education has already announced the start dates for the 2020/2021 school year as well as the school calendar and some measures that will allow for the return to in-person classes.'

The dates scheduled for next year are:

• 1st Period – starts between September 14 and 17, with the last day of classes on December 18
• 2nd Period – Starts on January 4, 2021 and ends on March 24
• 3rd Period – Starts on April 6, 2021 and ends on June 9 (for 9th, 11th, and 12th), on June 15 (7th, 8th, and 10th), and on June 30 (pre-school and 1st and 2nd cycles)

The first five weeks will be dedicated to the recovery of the content that was not taught due to Covid-19 and the consequent distance learning. The Easter holidays will be shorter and the third term longer.

Starting in September, the priority will be the in-person teaching regime, although the guidelines for schools also foresee mixed and remote regimes in the event of a health regression. Students who benefit from school social action or are protected by child and youth protection commissions will have classes at school, even in mixed and remote regimes.

Regarding the return to in-person classes at schools, the Ministry of Education, together with the DGS, announced some of the mandatory measures for all individuals entering educational establishments.

Mandatory Mask Use

The first rule to ensure security upon returning to in-person classes is the mandatory use of masks inside all educational establishments by all individuals entering the school: teachers, non-teaching staff, guardians, and also by students from the 2nd cycle. The Minister of Education, Tiago Brandão Rodrigues, announced that masks and other personal protective equipment will be distributed to schools for the return to classes in September.

Wash your hands

There must be a provision of hand sanitizer at various points in educational establishments, and handwashing with soap and water should become a regular practice.

Timetable Division

According to the regulations of the General Directorate of School Establishments (DGEstE), the class schedules must be organized into half-day shifts so that the concentration of students within educational establishments is reduced to 50%.

Preferably, classes should be taught in spacious areas. Whenever possible and without compromising the health of the students, classrooms should be well-ventilated, keeping the windows and doors open, in order to allow for better air circulation.

"Each class must be assigned a permanent classroom, where students should have fixed seats. The desks should be arranged, preferably, with the same orientation and the lunch hours should be staggered to avoid concentrations."

Social Distancing

According to the guidelines from the Directorate-General of Health sent to schools, a social distance of one meter should be ensured "whenever possible," a measure that has generated some controversy as it is a shorter distance than what has been practiced until now. Whenever possible, a physical distance between students and between students/teachers should be ensured.

Finally, it will be necessary to invest in more professionals, for which a budget of 125 million euros has been announced for the hiring of teachers, non-teaching staff and specialized technicians, including social workers, psychologists and mediators, to facilitate the recovery of students.

A further 400 million euros will be invested to launch tenders to purchase computers and ensure connectivity between 2020 and 2021, as part of the Digital School project.

In any of these scenarios, having a computer will be essential! Whether for studying, doing group work, reports, or having online classes. At Digiplanet, the refurbished computers are ready to meet the needs of students. To learn more click here.

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