School in the time of pandemic

Some three million pupils started school in Romania on Monday under special conditions, imposed by the pandemic

Daniela Budu, 15.09.2020, 13:50

The new school year began in Romania on September 14, under special conditions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, with lots of uncertainties for students, parents and teachers alike. Most educational institutions opened their classrooms, but everybody had to wear a protective mask and keep the distance. In others, the courses are to be held online, after cases of COVID-19 among teachers and students were confirmed in several localities. The authorities say that they are closely monitoring the evolution of the situation in schools and, where appropriate, the necessary measures will be taken to curb the spread of the disease.

Liberal Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said that, in most schools, the start of the new year took place in good conditions. Children need school, and the interruption of the educational process can affect the understanding of the subjects in the coming years, thinks Ludovic Orban, who expressed his confidence in the teachers’ mission and asked them, as well as parents, to become partners.

Ludovic Orban: When there are gaps in the educational process, of a month or two, that can affect the understanding of the subject matters in the next years of school, and that is why we have to communicate this message as clearly as possible: that it is extremely important for children to follow the school process, be it in a classroom or online. In fact, I think that, little by little, things tend to return to a more normal atmosphere and there is no longer that tension. However, starting school is a joy for both children and teachers, and maybe for parents as well.

In turn, the president of the Chamber of Deputies, the Social Democrat Marcel Ciolacu, said that the new year started with lots of uncertainties and difficulties for all those involved in the educational process. He also said, however, that teachers, pupils, parents and local authorities would be able to overcome all challenges.

Marcel Ciolacu: Today is another kind of beginning, on a path of responsibility and courage, at the end of which everyone will be stronger and wiser. I am sure that each of you understands the importance of complying with the rules for health protection and I am equally sure that, together, pupils, parents, teachers and local public authorities will be able to go all the way without major incidents

Representatives of pupils, parents and trade unionists in education believe that the measures applied in schools are insufficient and those that exist cannot be applied well enough. Dissatisfied with the way the authorities handled the purchase of laptops and tablets for students, the Declic Community and the Pupils’ National Council organized, on the first day of school, a protest in front of the Ministry of Education. They reported that 900,000 pupils did not have access to online education during the state of emergency. In reply, the representatives of the Ministry specified that the institution had done its job and that the National Office for Centralized Procurement was responsible for those purchases. (M. Ignatescu)