Prime Minister Edi Rama has spoken of the importance of students following the various hygiene protocols in place to stop the spread of COVID-19. Whether classes remain open will depend on their discipline and the implementation of protocols
Speaking to a group of students in Durres alongside Education Minister Besa Shahani, Rama said school reopening is a mutual challenge that he reminded the children that they are transmitters of the virus.
“We must act as if we have the virus, we must be careful because we might have it and then transmit it to our families,” he said.
Classes were suspended between March and June and students continued their lessons via online learning. Those that were unable to access online classes were given the chance to attend catch-up sessions earlier in the month.
Schools are set to reopen on 14 September and they will work in one to three shifts with no more than 20 students in each class. The Opposition has criticised the plan saying there is not enough space in schools to work in this way.
Furthermore, thousands of students whose schools were damaged by the November earthquake have to be accommodated in other institutions. The government has not completed any of the reconstructions of over 120 schools in affected areas. Many more do not have running water meaning children are unable to implement hygiene measures such as handwashing.
The start of the year is set to be hard on teachers as well. Due to the new timetable, they will be working on average three to four hours longer. Exit confirmed this with several highschool teachers in Tirana who added that they were not getting any additional salary for the extra hours which could total as much as 20 hours extra a week.
Rama recently pledged to increase teachers salary as a part of the next budget in 2021.
