Sparks on school hours between Azzolina, Regions and Municipalities

• Azzolina: "If someone wants to close the school, the answer is no"

• Coronavirus, Azzolina: "Contagions do not occur in schools"

• Coronavirus, Azzolina: "No hypothesis of restrictions for schools"

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October 18, 2020It was a tough battle between the Municipalities, the Regions and the Minister of Education Lucia Azzolina regarding the hours of entry to schools and distance learning.

"The Minister of Transport says that the offer of public transport cannot be further increased. And at the same time the Minister of Education says that to reshape timetables and stagger the entry and exit of high school students, thus lightening the pressure on public transport, we should meet a few thousand school leaders. At this point, while the virus advances, in two weeks we will still be talking about what to do ", said the president of Anci and mayor of Bari, Antonio

the Provinces, the ministers Speranza, Manfredi and De Micheli, the governors were also present at the meeting called by Minister Boccia.

The mayors have called for an urgent and national provision that affects school hours.

The Regions have the same position.

"We believe it is possible and necessary, precisely to safeguard the school in the presence, especially for kindergartens, elementary and middle schools - said the president of the Conference of Regions, Stefano

- to have a greater impact on the levels of entry and exit from schools".

On this point, as well as on the possibility of reinforcing the integrated teaching already tested this month in high schools, especially for the last three classes, the Regions asked the Government for a specific indication in the Dpcm, "because it does not fall within the prerogatives of either mayors or the Regions organize the times and organizational methods of school autonomies ".

But Minister Lucia

was adamant.

"Face-to-face schooling is essential for everyone, from the youngest ones to the last year of the second grade", also because the latter have high school exams, he underlined during the meeting, recalling that for high school a part of digital teaching " it's already present".

The minister's idea is that no generalized measures should be taken, but targeted interventions, territory by territory, and in agreement with school managers and families.

For its part, the Ministry of University and Research has set up a control room to assess the impact of the health emergency on the higher education and research system.

"Universities are safe places, teaching is already 50% remote, lessons are controlled, with the use of masks and spacing, everything has been programmed with specific protocols and maximum attention, it is impossible to do more at the university" , highlighted the minister Gaetano

, paving the way for a remodeling of teaching according to the local situation of the pandemic, thus increasing or decreasing face-to-face teaching.

Meanwhile, the School Priority Committee has organized presidia and

for Monday

in 13 cities in 10 regions.

"The closure of schools, and the transition to distance learning, would be acceptable only in the event of a total lockdown of the whole country", say the promoters.

"The school must remain open, it is a priority of this country together with work", is the opinion of Franco

, president of the Superior Health Council.

The last word now belongs to the Government.