Hundreds of kids in Hague region not following online lessons: report

Schools in The Hague region lost touch with hundreds of pupils after schools closed as one of the measures to curb the spread of coronavirus Covid-19. These kids aren't following online lessons, and their teachers can't get in touch of them or their parents, Omroep West reports after speaking to multiple school groups in the area. Almost 400 pupils have fallen off the radar in The Hague and the surrounding area, according tot he broadcaster.

Lucas Onderwijs, which covers 77 schools in The Hague and surrounds with 34 thousand pupils and over 4 thousand employees, no longer has contact with over 200 pupils. Haagse Scholen, which covers 42 schools with 15,500 pupils in the region, lost contact with 170 pupils.

"I am most worried about the more than 200 students with whom we cannot get in touch at all," Ewald van Vliet, chairman of the board of directors of Lucas Onderwijs, said to the broadcaster. "Over 200 is only a small percentage, but each one is a child," Van Vliet said to the broadcaster. "They don't answer the phone, nor do their parents. They just don't respond." These kids are therefore not getting any education at the moment, according to Van Vliet. "The safety of our students is paramount, especially now. But education is of course also important. We have now reported them to Compulsory Education."

"Now that the schools remain closed for longer, I am afraid that the vulnerable students will only become more disadvantaged," Omar Ramadan, chairman of the executive board of Sophia Scholen (7 thousand students in 28 special primary schools in the Bollenstreek) said to Omroep West. "Especially if there are children with whom the school cannot get in touch."