Today, the Minister of Education Anna Ekström (S) announced that upper secondary schools will also be allowed to conduct distance or distance education.
This has only applied to upper secondary schools before.
The new provision, which will enter into force as early as Monday, will be used as a last resort to avoid congestion at school and public transport.
Can be closed in case of significant spread of infection
It is the school's principals who make the final decision, but the infection control doctor Anders Nystedt believes that few high schools in Norrbotten will be closed and move to distance education.
The reason is that Norrbotten currently has a low spread of infection in general.
- This is mostly from a Stockholm perspective.
But if you get a spread of infection that becomes apparent in a school, you now have an instrument that has not existed before, says Anders Nystedt.
Instead, he wants this to be used as a last resort as the school has proven to be a small part in the spread of covid-19.
Want a discussion with principals
According to Nystedt, there is a long list of measures that must be taken before a school can close.
On Thursday, a digital meeting was held between the infection control doctor and around 220 people from Norrbotten's school world about the new message from the Minister of Education.
- We agreed that if any principal is considering closing, they are welcome to discuss this with me first.
Maximum two days in Luleå
Maarit Enbuske, head of school at Luleå municipality, says that it is up to each principal to make a decision if they want to introduce distance and distance education.
The municipality will allow a maximum of two days of home study per week and year class.
- Each school will have to make local risk assessments, says Maarit Enbuske, school principal at Luleå municipality.