Face masks in secondary schools from Monday
The cabinet urgently advises to wear face masks in secondary schools. This applies from next Monday for the corridors, the auditorium and the canteen, but not for the lessons, the Ministry of Education just announced.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
The urgent advice applies to 'situations where a meter and a half between pupil and teacher cannot be guaranteed, such as in corridors and in auditoriums', according to the ministry. The strong recommendation takes effect next Monday, October 5. The mouth-nose mask, as the ministry calls it, can be removed in class, but must be worn during practical lessons where the distance is also not maintained.
Rutte argued against face masks in schools in the House of Representatives yesterday. He also said that Minister Arie Slob is constantly talking to the education sector and that 'new insights can always emerge'.
To hope
“Wearing face masks in the corridors and large spaces is a new guideline that has already been applied in practice at many schools,” says Henrik de Moel, AObdirector of secondary education. "Let's hope it will help. And that we don't forget the most important measures: such as keeping a distance of one and a half meters from staff and between staff, washing hands and coughing or sneezing in the elbow."
De Moel: “Everyone is doing their utmost to follow all the advice and we will continue to do so, but it is complicated. At the moment many lessons are dropped and many children are missed at the lessons. The weather is tough for education. We just need more people in education, not today, but yesterday. ”
Nobody understands anymore
Confusing
This new mouth masks guideline does not apply to MBO and higher education. That is confusing, says Tamar van Gelder, AObdirector for MBO. “It cannot be explained that a 17-year-old MBO student walks in the hallway without a mask and a 17-year-old student in HAVO-5 with. Nobody gets it that way anymore. ”
In the world of education a ratatouille develops. Yesterday, Prime Minister Rutte announced that a face mask is urgently recommended in public indoor spaces. For MBO and higher education, the question now is which parts of the building fall under the definition of 'public indoor spaces'. Opinions differ on this, noted Trouw.
Twilight area
For example, at the Hague University of Applied Sciences, the mouth mask has to be worn, but not at the a little further away Roc Mondrian. Rotterdam is also struggling with the definition. 'It is a legal twilight zone whether we are a public space or not', said Chairman Ron Bormans of the Hogeschool Rotterdam. According to him, the corridors, the learning centers and the restaurants are. That is why he tends to impose a masking obligation.
The Rotterdam Albeda College (MBO), on the other hand, believes that the school does not fall under the definition of public interior space. 'We do not make mouth masks compulsory,' said a spokesperson in Trouw yesterday, 'but if staff members and students do want to wear them, they are of course free. They are, however, used during practical lessons and in the elevator, so in places where we cannot guarantee a meter and a half. '
Research results were also released today on ventilation in school buildings. Read: 'Considerable catch-up needed for ventilation in schools'
De AOb made the call earlier this week: 'Extra hands needed for good education in corona time'
Schools that want to convert the urgent advice for mouth masks into an obligation must have permission from the MR or OR. Check our FAQ and choose 'MR and OR'.
