Classes in Schools to Begin on Sept. 1

Pupils with masks (BETAPHOTO/DRAGAN KARADAREVIC)

Branko Ruzic, the minister of education, science and technological development, has stated that the classes in schools in Serbia will begin on Sept. 1, in education facilities, and that they will last the regular 45 minutes. He added that a Team for Schools will make all further decisions, depending on the epidemiological situation in individual local self-governments.

After a meeting of the Crisis Headquarters for the suppression of the COVID-19 pandemic held in Belgrade in the evening on Aug. 24, Ruzic also said that the team will consist of medical professionals from the Batut Institute for Public Health and representatives of the Ministry of Education.

“The Team for Schools is tasked with evaluating the situation in every local self-government on a weekly basis and decide what kind of classes should be organized,” Ruzic said, adding that the local communities will be classified, according to the situation, into the red, yellow and green zones.

Ruzic also urged the teachers and citizens to get the vaccine, adding that the education system, together with preschool facilities, comprises some “1,100,000 children,” which, with their families included, accounts for “two-thirds of the general population.”

Epidemiologist Predrag Kon emphasized that the “main weapon” against the virus – vaccination – is “insufficiently used” in fighting the coronavirus epidemic. “The greater the number of vaccinated people the children are surrounded with, the lesser the likelihood that they will get infected and take the virus into schools,” he added.