Cambodia has reopened schools and museums after months of shutdown
Credit: Cindy Liu/Reuters
Teaching Unions in the UK have warned that teachers are at "serious risk" of infection if a planned reopening continues across the country, calling for a "pause" in the reopening of schools.
Several local authorities have already refused to reopen educational establishments, forcing the government to delay the opening of all primary schools in London by a week in an embarrassing U-turn.
Across the globe, policies differ by nation, with some governments choosing to adopt a flexible learning approach, while others have chosen full remote-learning.
A sign hangs outside a primary school in East London reminding people to keep 2-metres apart because of the coronavirus pandemic
Credit: Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP
Europe
On January 7, all students in Italy are set to go back to school at 50 per cent physical capacity, with schedules organised so that certain classes physically go into school on alternating days.
Concerns have been raised by regional governments and teacher’s unions, as well as some on the scientific committee about the wisdom of restarting, but the government led by Giuseppe Conte has been steadfast in its decision to stick with the January 7 reopening, which seems to have fairly widespread public support.
Masks are required to be worn by pupils at all times. In some regions — such as in Emilia Romagna — all students under 18 and their parents have the right to free serological rapid tests at local pharmacies, to make sure potential asymptomatic carriers can isolate quickly.
Children are seen social distancing within a school in France
Credit: @lioneltop/Twitter/Twitter
Schools are set to reopen across Spain at the end of this week or early next, although the region of Valencia said on Monday that it may postpone the planned return to classes on Friday as new cases rise rapidly after Christmas and New Year festivities.
All schools reopened in Spain in September, in many cases for the first time since March, with masks obligatory for all pupils from year one of primary education, reduced class sizes and mixing between groups minimised. Some secondary school students alternate going into school and doing remote learning.
Portugal also kept its schools open throughout the autumn term, but there is a debate over whether to reopen as planned in January due to a spike in Covid cases and calls for improved screening of school workers and contacts when cases arise.
All French school children return to school on January 4. The education minister insists that the French were well behaved over the festive season so infections are not going ballistic as was feared.
Infection levels in schools remain low, according to official statistics. Experts insist that there is no proof the "UK variant", if and when it strikes in France, is more contagious for children.
In Belgium, schools are also back, operating under a ‘code red’ regime. A survey by the University of Mons teacher training said four out of five secondary school teachers don’t think they can stick to the rules, citing class sizes as an issue.
However, schools in Germany are scheduled to reopen next week, but no one expects that to happen. Angela Merkel is set to meet with regional leaders to agree new lockdown measures on January 5, and they are widely expected to extend school closures.
There may be regional differences on when schools actually reopen. Under Germany’s federal system, education policy is left in the hands of the 16 states.
Coronavirus Germany Spotlight Chart — deaths default
In Denmark, schools remain closed to all pupils until at least January 17, as nationwide restrictions have been extended by the government.
As it currently stands, pupils across Sweden are set to return to the classroom next week, but given the current high rate of infections and hospitalisations, there is a significant chance that at least upper secondary students (over 16) will be asked to start the term with online tuition.
The Swedish National Agency for Education has, however, cancelled national tests for the 2021 spring term due to coronavirus-related disruptions to education. Sweden is one of the few countries never to have closed down lower secondary schools at any time during the pandemic.
In Poland schools closed in late October, for all but the youngest classes. The government has brought the traditional winter holiday, which generally comes half way through the academic year, from the end of January forwards so it starts today.
This means that there is no break between the Christmas and winter holidays. The holiday will last a fortnight and it is expected that online classes will resume after that.
Asia
In Taiwan, schools have been functioning normally since last March, although students are required to wear facemasks and international schools have a strict policy of not allowing pupils to attend class if they have been in contact with someone who has returned from abroad over the past 21 days.
A teacher checks the body temperature of a student before allowing him to enter the school campus in Bengaluru, India
Credit: Aijaz Rahi /AP
By contrast, in the Philippines, schools held virtual classes for the whole of 2020, and the authorities are reluctant to reopen them in the first few months of 2021 amid fears that it will fuel the ongoing spread of the virus.
The Indian government permitted the re-opening of schools from October 15. However, the decision was left to India’s 36 states and union territory governments to decide whether they would allow students back, depending on their internal Covid-19 situation.
So far, 21 Indian states and union territories have permitted schools to reopen. This includes India’s three most populous states of Uttar Pradesh (199 million), Maharashtra (112 million), and Bihar (104 million).
However, the majority of India’s 320 million students have not returned to school. Many schools have decided themselves not to open, parents are unwilling to send children to school without a vaccination and many poorly paid teachers are refusing to work for the same reason.
Schools that have opened are also typically only offering classes to students who are preparing for university admission exams and not students of all ages.
In South Korea, schools have closed and reopened as the virus surges and recedes. In mid-December, the government ordered schools to close in the capital Seoul and surrounding areas as it battles its worst outbreak of novel coronavirus since the pandemic began, surpassing the previous peak in February.
On Friday, Thailand said it would close all schools in Bangkok as it tightens measures to control a new wave of the coronavirus pandemic, the city said on Friday.
However, across the border in Cambodia, private schools have started reopening this week and students at public schools are due to return next week following a six-week lockdown that closed out 2020.
Students from the Sovannaphumi school wear face masks while keeping social distancing as Cambodia reopen schools and museums after months of shutdown
Credit: Cindy Liu/Reuters
In China, schools mostly reopened after getting through the worst of Covid but still close down periodically if there are clusters of cases and revert to online learning.
Students are required to wear masks and parents have to report kids’ temperatures daily to school authorities.
Many schools are also recommending that teachers, families and students do not travel outside of their city limits due to Covid and the risk of getting stuck somewhere with quarantine. If anyone has a fever or feels ill they need to stay home.
Middle East
Israel runs a tiered system for schools, which generally allows younger pupils to return to the classrooms while older pupils are educated at home. But that may change as soon as the government faces pressure to tighten regulations due to rising coronavirus infection rates.
Primary schools and pre-schools are open nationwide, while the 5-12 grades (children aged 10 and older) can only return to school if they are in a "yellow" or "green" coronavirus zone. Boarding schools are allowed to remain open. Even in cases where schools are allowed to open, school trips are forbidden.
This was a compromise based on the government’s initial plans to close all schools during a third lockdown imposed in December, following political and public pressure. However, the Israeli government’s health ministry has warned that the rising coronavirus infection rate may warrant a full closure of schools later this week.
Africa
South African government schools start lessons on January 27. Teachers return two days earlier. Private schools are due to open on January 13.
Kenyan school children wear face masks while walking to school as they resume in-class learning after a nine-month disruption
Credit: Simon Mania/AFP
In Kenya, schools are expected to reopen on Monday. However, extracurricular school activities such as sports are banned for 90 days, as well as non-essential visits by parents and guardians, the president’s office said.
However, in Zimbabwe, the government has postponed indefinitely the opening of schools for a new term that was supposed to start on Monday, Jan. 4.
Australasia
In Australia, schools are due to come back late January. So far, there is no indication of any problems. Zero cases were reported today in the most populous state of New South Wales.
In New Zealand, schools are scheduled to open as normal.
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