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Speaking during a meeting at the House of Representative, National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research Said Amzazi said that the start of the 2020-21 school year will not be postponed.
He explained that rescheduling the start of the school year «could have more negative effects on the health of pupils than the pandemic itself».
«We can postpone school for a month, two or maybe six but what about students ? Where will they spend their time ? At home or in the streets and will that protect them from the virus ?», he asked before MPs from the Education, Culture and Communication Committee.
The Minister’s comments come after he announced earlier this month that the back-to-school season will be maintained, implementing e-learning with an in-class option for parents who want their children to attend school.
A plan adapted to the epidemiological situation
This plan «takes into account the development of the epidemiological situation with the option of imposing distance-learning on everyone if the situation worsens if not students will be allowed in school in an increasing trend», the minister said.
Furthermore, he explained that the in-class learning option would be coupled with a series of health measures for both the students and teachers, adding that the ministry has been working on a «health protocol for this purpose since July».
And for those wishing to study remotely, Amzazi said that his ministry can offer «evaluation classes at school based on a schedule that respects social distancing».
The Minister stressed that the plan proposed by the ministry takes into account the epidemiological situation in all regions of the Kingdom : «For example, a region that is free of the virus, can adopt in–class learning, if this is the choice of families».
«We want to get families and parents involved in the decision-making process and make them shoulder their responsibilities as they are also part of this», the Minister explained.
Amzazi stressed that «the educational decision in light of the pandemic is no longer a pure pedagogy, because it is a decision to manage a crisis, and we are witnessing one», he argued, adding that «the ministry should not be blamed if it does not develop a 100 percent pedagogical concept».
Regarding university campuses, Amzazi stressed that they cannot be opened, «even if the students residing there undergo coronavirus tests, because they may have contact with other people and contribute to the spread of the virus, especially since dorm rooms include between 4 and 5 students».
For the record, the school year is expected to start on September 7 while the 2020-21 university year will begin in mid-October, the Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research announced on Monday.
