Hungarian teachers want to close schools in battle against coronavirus

The PDSZ argues that 

institutions of education and care must be closed.

Although morbidity in young generations is fortunately low, as potential undetected virus carriers they pose a huge danger in respect of the spread of the virus, the union said, adding that for this reason the risk of contation within the families and in enclosed groups is extremely high.

The PDSZ argues that prevention would be crucial on every front. It must be avoided that children in kindergartens and schools spread the virus further, as there are still no hand sanitizers in many institutions and a lot of them lack even soaps or paper towels.

The PDSZ argues the cabinet must also take into consideration that the average age of teachers is high and the shortage of teachers can be mitigated in many institutions only by hiring retired colleagues.

The PDSZ also said it is simply not true that a temporary school closure right now would require students to repeat the current academic year. Such obligation does not exist. 

When the government declared a state of emergency it also suspended regulation that gives the right to temporarily close schools to the principals (in case of a local emergency) or the notary (in case of emergency in the wider area) or the Office (in case of an emergency in the county or in the capital). 

In case the temporary closure prevents teachers/students from teaching/learning the required material, the suspended regulation gives the right to principals to declare six-day weeks and raise the number of classes over the legal maximum. 

This means that making up for the lost days in school needs to be ordered only if teaching/learning the required material cannot be solved. However, with remote learning this cannot be a problem.

The PDSZ also stressed that the ministerial decree prescribing the calendar of the academic year may be freely amended and, if necessary, any academic year can be cut shorter. Therefore the PDSZ 

is urging the government to order an extraordinary school break as soon as possible.

It also urges principals to turn to the government with the same request now that they have been stripped of the right to order a temporary break on their own. 

Prime MInister Viktor Orbán told public radio MR1 on Friday morning that

If we close schools, it will be for months, and teachers will have to take a leave without pay.

This, he added, would also mean the end of the academic year. 

UNESCO recommends the use of distance learning programmes

As of 12 March, 49 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America and South America have announced or implemented school and university closures, the United Nations reported on Thursday.

In response to school closures caused by COVID-19, UNESCO recommends the use of distance learning programmes to limit the disruption of education.

On the link above you find a list of open educational applications and platforms to help schools and teachers facilitate student learning and provide social caring and interaction. While these solutions do not carry UNESCO’s explicit endorsement, they tend to have wide reach, a strong user-base and evidence of impact. Several support multiple languages.

Twenty-nine countries have shut schools nationwide, impacting almost 391.5 million children and youth. A further twenty countries have implemented localized school closures to prevent or contain the spread of COVID-19. Should these countries also order nationwide school and university closures, it would disrupt the education of more than 500 million additional children and youth. 

Hungary wants children in schools rather than at home

The UK is also reluctant to order a temporary closure of schools and PM Boris Johnson uses the same argument as Hungary’s Viktor Orbán.

In the UK, schools will only close if they are specifically told so - such as if a student or staff member contracts COVID-19. Johnson says he is being guided by scientists - and at the news conference in Downing Street, he said that current advice suggests closing schools "could do more harm than good".

Hungary has ordered universities to close their doors, and continue their academic year via distance learning. As for schools, trips abroad are banned and student language programmes in foreign countries are put off by a year. These measures are to be in effect until they are revoked, but everyone should expect months rather than weeks, officials said. The government’s argument for leaving schools open is that no child has been infected with the coronavirus in Hungary, and they will consider shutting down schools if there's a change in this respect. 

How to protect children and support safe school operations?

Earlier this week, the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) issued new guidance to help protect children and schools from transmission of the COVID-19 virus. The guidance provides critical considerations and practical checklists to keep schools safe. It also advises national and local authorities on how to adapt and implement emergency plans for educational facilities.

Where schools remain open, and to make sure that children and their families remain protected and informed, the guidance calls for:

• Providing children with information about how to protect themselves;
• Promoting best handwashing and hygiene practices and providing hygiene supplies;
• Cleaning and disinfecting school buildings, especially water and sanitation facilities; and
• Increasing airflow and ventilation.

Safe school guidelines implemented in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone during the outbreak of Ebola virus disease from 2014 to 2016 helped prevent school-based transmissions of the virus.

Key Messages and Actions for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Schools

Closing the barn door after the cow is gone

Closing schools is a proven measure that has been shown to slow the spread of disease and, in turn, save lives. But it also causes huge economic and social disruption, especially for children, millions of whom depend on the free and reduced-cost meals they get at school, npr.org reported.

Public officials understandably don't want to close schools unless they absolutely have to, and many closures so far have been triggered by a known case of infection or exposure among staff or students. Yet research suggests the best time to close schools is before that happens.

"If you wait for the case to occur [in your school], you still have wound up closing the school, but now you've missed the opportunity to have the real benefit that would have accrued had you closed the school earlier," says Yale University sociologist and physician Nicholas Christakis.

It's sort of closing the barn door after the cow is gone.

Cover photo: Getty Images