As of 1 June 2020, kindergartens and the first five years of primary schools, as well as children's school clubs, may reopen in Slovakia. Pupils in grades 6-9 will continue with their distance learning. This according to Education Minister Branislav Gröhling, who was speaking at a press conference on Monday. As returning to school for the month of June will be voluntary, school authorities have two weeks to provide a way in which parents may express themselves on this matter.
Due to capacity issues, children of parents in the so-called first line - namely medical staff, members of the fire and rescue service or police force, and pedagogical staff - will be given priority in returning to school. Education Minister Gröhling stated he would also welcome the inclusion of the socially disadvantaged in the group of priority children. Those children who remain at home will continue to be educated at a distance. This will create an additional burden on school staff, as the regular teachers of years 1-5 will now be occupied in the classroom and other teachers will have to be found for the pupils remaining at home.
For each group or classroom there will be a maximum of 15 children in kindergarten and 20 children in primary school. Once formed, a group will not change even if the number of students decreases, so as not to lead to the migration of students between individual groups. The content and form of all educational and recreational activities are to be chosen in such a way as to ensure the observance of hygienic-epidemiological measures. Teachers of smaller children have already begun discussing whether it's at all realistic to expect their young pupils to observe measures such as social distancing consistently throughout the school day.
