Government and autonomous communities, meeting in a Multisectoral Conference on Education and Health, have agreed, for the 2020-2021 academic year, 29 measures and 5 recommendations for their application by the competent administrations in educational centres.
This agreement allows for further progress in providing public administrations with a common framework and building a model of co-governance that generates trust in the educational community.
The meeting was held online and the Minister of Education and Professional Training, Isabel Celaá; the Minister of Health, Salvador Illa, and the Minister of Territorial Policy and Public Function, Carolina Darias; and the regional councillors of Health and Education.
In the first place, the Government and autonomous communities (CCAA) have agreed that, in general, the teaching activity will be face-to-face for all levels and stages of the educational system, prioritizing it for younger students, at least until the second year of the THAT.
The document reiterates the need to resume face-to-face educational activity “as a priority” by adopting a series of prevention, hygiene and health promotion measures that guarantee a safe return to classrooms.
The educational centres will remain open throughout the school year ensuring dining services, as well as educational support for minors with special needs or socially vulnerable families, as long as the epidemiological situation allows it.
The personnel who work in the educational centre will reduce their stay in it to the essential, for which the telematic realization of all those non-teaching activities that allow it will be promoted.
In addition, as already included in the document Prevention, Hygiene and Health Promotion Measures against COVID-19 for Educational Centers in the 2020-2021 academic year, prepared by the Ministries of Health and Education last June, all the centres must designate a person responsible for the aspects related to COVID.
Preventive measures
In general, an interpersonal distance of at least 1.5 meters will be maintained. In early childhood education and in the first cycle of primary education, students will organize themselves into stable coexistence groups so that boys and girls can socialize and play with each other. In these cases, the distance limitation criteria will not apply.
On the other hand, the Declaration of coordinated actions establishes the mandatory use of the mask from 6 years of age regardless of the maintenance of interpersonal distance.
Hygiene measures
Hand hygiene will be performed frequently and meticulously, at least five times a day. In addition, the students will receive health education. Cleaning of the centres will be intensified, especially in the bathrooms and places of greater use. Likewise, the facilities will be ventilated frequently, at least for 10-15 minutes.
The dining rooms will allow an interpersonal distance of at least 1.5 meters, except in the case of belonging to the same stable coexistence group. Permanent positions will be assigned throughout the year for students.
In school transport, the use of the mask will be mandatory from 6 years old and recommended for girls and boys from 3 to 5 years old.
In addition, the body temperature of all students and staff will be taken prior to the start of the day. In the event that the temperature is taken in the educational centre, the latter will arrange the way to carry it out, avoiding crowds in any case and ensuring the maintenance of the minimum interpersonal distance.
People who have symptoms compatible with COVID-19 will not come to the centre, whether they are part of the students, teachers or other personnel.
Case management
On the other hand, the Ministry of Health has presented to the autonomous communities for their agreement, within the framework of the Public Health Commission of the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System, a “Guide to action before the appearance of cases of COVID-19 in educational centres “.
It is a technical document that will serve as a basis when taking prevention and control measures to be carried out by the Public Health units of the Autonomous Communities if necessary.
The guide establishes as lines of action to avoid the attendance to the centre of symptomatic people; early isolation and referral to the health system of people with symptoms; the maintenance of the teaching activity taking extreme precautions until the results of the diagnostic tests; and the quarantine of close contacts.
Note from CAB. Please check your Town Hall’s Facebook page or website for further information specific for your town, as the face-to-face procedures with regards to informing parents of new students e.g. will be severely restricted, especially in towns where there are new ‘brotes/spikes’.