Madrid Announces Schools Re-Opening Measures

The Madrid regional governement have announced a series of measures to ensure that schools within the community of Madrid will open as planned for the regions 1.2 million pupils of school age.

State schools are set to start between  September 4th to 28th, with concertado and private schools starting within this period as well.

In addition the president of the region, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, announced an investment of €370 million that would include the hiring of over 10,000 temporary teachers to allow for reduced class sizes.

The government will purchase 6,000 cameras and 70,000 computers to enhance virtual classes.

There will also be trimestral antibody tests on pupils and teachers as well as for those considered to be at higher risk.

The news comes as a relief to millions of parents who had feared further disruption to family and work schedules should school classes not start.

The regional government allows for a return for relative normality for all children up to 13 and for those over a mix offace-to-face and online classes.

The special measures include a Covid coordinator for each school, obligatory use of masks for all pupils over 6 years old.

Class sizes will be reduced to a maximum of 20 pupils and with desk distancing of the at least 1. 5 metres.

All pupils and teachers will have their temperature taken before the start of each day´s classes.

In the event of local or wider coronavirus outbreaks “the suspension of face-to-face classes by a region on a unilateral basis will only take place under exceptional circumstances” under the guidance of the central ministry of health and implemented by the regional authorities.