Schools to reopen on schedule after winter break, but higher education still closed

Primary and secondary schools will reopen for all students after the winter holidays, said Arie Slob, the minister in charge of primary and secondary education. However, safety measures to combat the coronavirus will continue to apply, such as preventive testing for children starting in Group Six. The Cabinet declined to allow higher education to resume in-person classes, though a new decision about that could come on January 14, the same date the current lockdown is set to expire.

The Cabinet is following the new advice it received from the Outbreak Management Team (OMT), which determined that the reopening of the education system is justified, Slob said. The schools were closed as a precaution after the end of the school day on December 17, one week before the winter break was set to begin. After-school care will also be allowed to reopen when students return to the classrooms.

Primary and secondary schools, including those providing special education, will still be required to send home students who have any coronavirus symptoms, including a mild cold. Students will also have to use walking routes, parents will not be allowed to enter school buildings, and teachers and staff must maintain 1.5 meters of distance from other adults. Those in groups six, seven, and eight, and secondary school students must wear face masks when walking through the schools, and will be asked to use coronavirus self-test kits at home twice weekly.

After several weeks of declining coronavirus infections, the average number of new daily infections has actually gone up by about 24 percent in the past week despite the somewhat strict lockdown in place for 16 days. The caretaker Cabinet knows it is taking a risk, said Health Minister Hugo de Jonge.

The Cabinet was being pressured by dozens of organizations, including Unicef and the country's mental healthcare system, to allow schools to reopen without extending the winter vacation period, or forcing schools to switch to distance learning.

"Education is not an on and off switch, not a flashing light. It is an essential part of growing up," Unicef said. Margrite Kalverboer, the ombudswoman for children's issues, issued a similar statement, as did the secondary school systems in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Organizations representing the schools nationally, and teachers unions, said schools should reopen if the safety of teachers can be organized properly.

Higher education, vocational schools to remain closed

"The OMT sees that the infections have decreased in the youngest," Slob said. Due to rising coronavirus infections among people in their twenties, students at universities, colleges and secondary vocational education must still follow online education for the time being, with some exceptions.

"In addition, this gives extra time to give young people in that age category their booster shot in the coming weeks," the government wrote in a statement. The Cabinet will take another look at the situation on January 14, and make a new decision about reopening in-person education in higher education.

The exceptions are for students in a vulnerable position, students who have take exams, and practical education students. Academic libraries will also be allowed to remain open. Students and staff allowed to enter vocational schools, applied sciences universities, and research universities will be required to keep 1.5 meters of distance from each other.

Student union LSVb responded immediately to argue for reopening all education institutions because of the mental health damage the continued closure can cause. "This means another period of loneliness, symptoms of depression, and concentration problems, with no clear end point. The resilience of many young people has vanished," said LSVb chair Ama Boahene.

Boahene said the union is concerned that academic institutions will opt to go completely online for the coming period, because of the difficulty institutions have switching back and forth between online and physical education.

Changes to youth sports policies announced

Additionally, the OMT advised that outdoor youth sports should be allowed to continue more fully starting on January 11. Children under the age of 18 will be allowed to participate in sports activities daily until 8 p.m. Since December 18, the rule has been that children could play outdoor sports only between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m., with competitions only permitted within their own club.

All indoor sports facilities will remain closed for the time being, except for swimming pools providing lessons for the A, B, and C, diplomas.

No rules changes were announced for those over 18 engaging in sports activities. Adults may only take part in sports alone, or in groups of two if they are from different households. They must also keep 1.5 meters apart.