Cabinet aiming to reopen primary schools on Feb. 8: report
Update 4:50 p.m. - In his weekly press conference following the Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Mark Rutte stressed that the opening of schools depends completely on advice from the Outbreak Management Team regarding how the new variants of the coronavirus spread among kids. He said that the government's first priority is education, and under that heading opening primary schools is the first goal.
The Rutte III cabinet is aiming for primary schools to reopen in the week of February 8, sources in The Hague told broadcaster NOS. CDA leader and outgoing Finance Minister Wopke Hoekstra said there is a very good chance that schools will reopen after leaving the weekly Council of Ministers meeting on Friday.
The Council for Ministers believe that children are sustaining so much damage that keeping them home any longer is irresponsible, the broadcaster's sources said.
The decision on whether or not to open primary schools has not been officially made yet, because the government is waiting for advice from the Outbreak Management Team.
The involved Minsters will meet with the government's main pandemic advisers at Prime Minister Mark Rutte's home in The Hague on Sunday.