Students to switch to distance learning if 10% of them are diagnosed with COVID-19

Students will switch to distance learning if 10% of them are diagnosed with COVID-19, announced Bulgaria’s caretaker Minister of Education and Science Nikolay Denkov referring to the instructions of the Ministry of Health.

Despite worsening COVID metrics, Health Minister says tighter restrictions still unnecessary

"It is still too early to say how the new school year will start on September 15. It will depend on the Covid-19 morbidity rates," noted Minister Denkov.

"We will do our best to make sure that all first graders celebrate their first day of school in the school yard", said Nikolay Denkov.

Schools should form group classes for children of the same grade who risk dropping out of the education system or whose parents work at the front line of the fight against COVID-19, BNR reported.

This is aimed at ensuring maximum long-term in-person training. The measure is part of the instructions of the Ministry of Education and Science, which will be discussed with the Ministry of Health and the social partners. The group classes will be valid during distance learning in the so-called red scenario on the coronavirus scale (between 250 and 500 cases per 100,000 people).

According to the plan of the Ministry of Education and Science, over 500 patients per 100 thousand people will require studying in a fully electronic environment, but when the area is in the yellow or green zones, educational institutions will continue work in compliance with anti-epidemic measures.