The improvement of schools' ventilation systems being so time-consuming and costly have forced local governments to buy air purifiers instead. It will be years before schools see updated ventilation systems installed.
As student rapid testing in schools is based on trust, there have been cases, where the Ministry of Education and Research has seen children skip testing before school starts. The ministry hopes the problem is not extensive.
Good air circulation is important in schools to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but unfortunately, the best solution for ventilation in many schools is still an open window.
ETV's weekly current news show "Aktuaalne kaamera. Nädal." studied how schools should prepare for the summer break and whether it will be possible to restore normal life in the autumn. It is certain that teenagers will not be vaccinated by autumn, which means some students will have to return to distance learning if there is an outbreak.
More careful parents have not been sending their children to school during the coronavirus pandemic. However, schools are not obliged to ensure distance learning for individual students.
Distance learning will continue until January 25 in Harju and Ida-Viru Counties, th worst-affected regions. In the rest of Estonia, children with some exceptions are welcomed at school.
Deputy Secretary General (Secondary and Adult Education) Robert Lippin said that he understands the worries of the parents who would keep their children at home, but emphasized that if possible, children should still participate in contact learning. If the parent makes a decision to not send his or her child to school, whatever the reason, fear of the virus, a domestic situation, then the parent doesn t have the right to demand a parallel system from the school to teach children studying both at home and at school, Lippin said.