Representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Crisis Staff, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Public Health Institute, the Federal Ministry of Education and representatives of cantonal ministries of education held a meeting in Konjic at which they decided not to postpone the start of the school year in Federation of BiH.
Thus, as planned, classes in Sarajevo Canton, Tuzla Canton and Zenica Doboj Canton will begin on September 1, and in other cantons on September 7, Vijesti.ba news portal reports.
After the meeting, it was pointed out that it will be possible to change the decision in accordance with the epidemiological situation in the cantons.
“The Institute of Public Health has prepared epidemiological criteria that will be applied in all primary and secondary schools and faculties where classes will be held. We have the full consent of all cantonal ministries,” said FBiH Assistant Minister of Health Goran Cerkez.
The cantons will determine the way classes will take place, whether they will take place online, traditionally in classrooms or in combination.
From September 1st, there will be only elementary school students who attend class (from the first to the fourth grade) in school. It is a combined model that will fully enable the observance of epidemiological recommendations, considering that there will be only 15 students in the classroom.
However, in some schools where there are fewer students in the classes, there will be no need to divide the students into groups. Half of the class will be in school, and the other half will follow classes online and receive teaching materials.
They will rotate every week, so both of them attend both traditional and online classes.
First-grade high school students will be in the classrooms only on the first day of the new school year, and the remaining days in these two planned weeks will attend classes online, as will all other elementary and high school students except the aforementioned students who attend class.
Parents of students who have a chronic illness or have someone with a chronic illness in the family, and anyone else who does not want to send their children to school will have the option to opt for an online teaching model.
This right will be exercised by parents who notify the school of their decision by email or post. Parents of students with disabilities will have the same right.
Children attending school will wear masks, but not during classes while sitting in classrooms. When they move towards the board, or when they are in the hallway, then they will have to wear masks. Teachers will have a mask all the time.
