Catalan education minister Josep Bargalló has estimated that 1,700 teaching and administration staff in Catalonia's schools are "vulnerable" with respect to the coronavirus. Of these, 800 have obtained leave after a medical evaluation and a certification that they are unable to adapt to their job in the current circumstances. To deal with the exceptional situation of the pandemic, there will be 8,162 new staff hired in Catalan education; of these, 5,321 will be teaching staff.
In a press conference, the Generalitat's education head said that in June, when school reopened partially after the first wave of the pandemic, 12,800 professionals were then considered "possibly vulnerable", and that after medical evaluations during the summer, a final figure of 1,700 are confirmed as vulnerable to the virus.
An empty school during the coronavirus lockdown / EFE
Of these 1,700 staff, 800 are now on leave because they are unable to adapt to their jobs, while others have been able to do so through, for example, distance work. Those having to take leave will be covered by substitute teachers.
Schools, "safe" spaces
The upcoming school year, said the minister this morning, will begin with measures in place to ensure that the centres are safe spaces for students and educational staff. "School will be the safest place for a child or teenager apart from their home. There will be nowhere else outside their homes which will have so many safety, prevention, traceability, control and monitoring measures in force. We need school to be safe so that it can fulful its educational and community functions with guarantees", he added.
The 2020-2021 academic year will begin in Catalonia on Monday 14th September with an estimated 1,587,395 students attending in total (including infant education, primary education, the secondary ESO and baccalaureate courses, vocational training, special education, adult centres, and distance learning).
Key Covid-19 measures in schools
In this new school year, a range of different measures have been put in place in education in response to the pandemic, with some of the key changes being:
- Student arrival times at schools will be staggered to avoid congestion, and students will wear masks.
- Wearing of masks in schools will be compulsory from the age of 12. This age may be brought down to 6, depending on the evolution of the pandemic, if an Autonomous Community requires it.
- When students go out to the playground, timing will also be staggered to avoid crowding, and masks will be required.
- Spaces will be frequently disinfected and ventilated.
- Hydroalcoholic gel dispensers and frequent hand washing by students and teachers will be required.
Arrival at school after the summer in La Rioja, with a teacher disinfecting students' hands / EFE
Also this Monday, the secretary general of the Catalan education department, Núria Cuenca, explained that there are currently seven positive cases confirmed among the staff of six Catalan schools. Two cases are at the Joan Juncadella school in Sant Vicenç dels Horts (Baix Llobregat), and this is one of two schools designated to delay their opening, in this case until September 17th, three days later than other schools. On September 18th, classes will begin at the Institut Jaume I, in Salou (Tarragonès), where a student in a sailing training class, which began a few days ago, tested positive.