After
Easter holidays, schools in Romania resumed their activity online in
order for students to to continue their classes from homes during the
coronavirus pandemics, whose outbreak led to the temporary closing of
schools and other education facilities on March 11th.
Health
Minister Nelu Tataru has told a private TV channel that schools could
be open in late May or early June. We must be very careful with the
children, Tataru went on to say adding that some protocols were being
considered for the children’s comeback to schools.
In
turn, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban has given assurances that the
authorities never took into consideration the idea of freezing the
school year, adding that the government’s objective was to ensure
all the conditions needed for the pupils and students to complete
their studies and take their national exams in the context allowed by
the epidemiological situation.
However,
according to the announcement made by the Education Ministry early
this month, the structure of the school year has not been modified so
far and is supposed to end on June 12th.
State secretary with the Education Ministry, Luminiţa Barcari, has
called on teachers in a message broadcast by the public radio station
to carry on their efforts and keep children connected to schools and
school activities.
Luminiţa
Barcari:
We
must stay at home, be patient and try to work online as much as
possible. Of course we must space out these activities and not
exhaust the children, we must take into account their age. Some are
complaining they are working too much while others say they there is
too little to study. So we must find the right balance in everything.
Irrespective of the time courses are resumed, this school year will
certainly be completed. We have working alternatives for all national
exams.
The
Education Ministry has published the curricula, from which the
objects of the second semester have been eliminated for those taking
the baccalaureate or the national evaluation exams. The measure has
been taken in agreement with representatives of the students, parents
and teachers and those from the National College of Rectors.
The
state secretary with the Education Ministry, Luminita Barcari has
announced the institution has made available five training tests
weekly for any object of study in order to help students improve
their studies during the time when courses were suspended.
Conceived
in accordance with the new curricula, these tests have been posted on
the website of the Education Ministry. Luminita Barcari has also
mentioned the ‘Tele-school’ programme done in cooperation with
the public TV channel so that students from the last years may
benefit from support offered by volunteer teachers to get ready for
the exams they are supposed to take at the end of this school year. (Translated by: Daniel Bilt)