Primary education staff can already have themselves tested
Teachers and support staff in primary education with complaints that may indicate COVID-19 can be tested by the GGD as of today. Entire school classes can also be tested if an 'unusual number' of students has complaints. Furthermore, disinfecting handles for children are not recommended and schools may not refuse new toddlers.
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Staff members in primary education and childcare who have complaints that could indicate COVID-19 can already be tested by the GGD from today. The government reports this in a factsheet. It concerns staff members who have direct contact with children.
Quarantine
Employees with complaints must report to the company doctor or, if not available, to the GGD. A doctor then assesses whether someone is referred to a testing site. Until the test result is known, the person concerned must work from home. And those who are found positive must be quarantined for seven days.
If an 'unusual number' (three or more) children in a group have a cough or cold, a school must report this to the GGD. He then initiates an investigation, in which it can be decided to test the children. This is always done in consultation with the parents.
The use of disinfectant handles by children is not recommended. Personal protective equipment is also not required
In the meantime, the protocol for the reopening of primary education has also been amended on a number of points, reports a corona update from the national government. 'The advice is given on the basis of the most up-to-date scientific insights. That means that the advice can change. '
According to the new guidelines, the use of disinfectant handles by children is not recommended. Furthermore, personal protective equipment is not necessary and it is also not necessary to temperature children.
Laptop
In addition, the government is earmarking another 3,8 million euros to support students who take lessons at home but do not have a laptop or tablet. This is in addition to the 2,5 million euros that Minister Arie Slob made available at the end of March, with which almost seven thousand students have already been helped with a device. With the extra money, a further 11.500 pupils in primary, secondary and secondary vocational education can be supported. School boards do require a personal contribution of 25 percent.
Puzzle
If this has not yet been done, primary education and out-of-school care must make quick and conclusive agreements about the connection between education and care. 'It is a major organizational puzzle for both sectors. Fortunately, things are going well in many places, 'says the national government,' but some schools and childcare organizations have not yet completed the connection. '
If a school chooses to bring forward the end time in the afternoon, after-school care is not obliged to pick up the children earlier. BSOs are also not allowed to send an invoice to the parents for those extra hours, and schools are not allowed to financially reimburse the childcare organizations for this. 'If a childcare organization cannot pick up the children from school earlier, the school can make up for this by allowing these children to stay at school temporarily. For example, under the supervision of a teaching assistant, 'says the national government.
Toddlers
Finally, the government emphasizes that new toddlers are also welcome at school from 11 May. The Ministries of Education and Social Affairs are receiving signals that some schools do not want to allow new pre-schoolers to enroll at the moment. 'But a school cannot refuse these children. It has been decided by the cabinet that all children will go back to school part of the time. That also applies to four-year-olds who are now going to school for the first time. '
