The 13/2021 school year began this Monday (22) for almost 4 million students in Italy, whose government made it mandatory for teachers and other school staff to present a health pass.
The return to school involves 3,9 million students from the regions of Abruzzo, Basilicata, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Lombardy, Piedmont, Umbria, Aosta Valley and Veneto, in addition to the autonomous province of Trento.
Children and teenagers had already returned to schools on September 6 in the autonomous province of Bolzano. In Sardinia, the school year begins this Tuesday (14); and in the regions of Campania, Liguria, Marche, Molise and Tuscany, on Wednesday (15).
Friuli Veneza Giulia and Sicily reopen schools on September 16, while the last regions to return to classes will be Calabria and Puglia, next Monday (20).
Mandatory health pass for teachers in Italy
Teachers and school staff are required to present the so-called “green pass”, a certificate from the Italian government granted to people who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or who have taken the first dose at least 15 days ago; cured of the disease for a maximum of six months; or individuals who tested negative in PCR or antigen tests no more than 48 hours ago.
Teachers who do not carry the certificate may have their salary suspended or pay fines of up to one thousand euros (R$6,2 thousand).
Parents of students and other adults who have access to schools also need to show the pass, which, on the other hand, is not required for students, even those who can already take anti-Covid vaccines (12 years old or over).
According to Italian Education Minister, Patrizio Bianchi, more than 900 checks were carried out on the “green pass” platform between 7am and 8am this Monday morning alone.
“93% of school staff are vaccinated. If there are risks, we will intervene in a targeted way, we will be surgical in the measures”, added Bianchi, ruling out the possibility of making entire regions return to the distance learning that was in force during almost the entire pandemic.
The use of masks in classrooms is mandatory for children aged six and over, however the government is considering relaxing the measure if all students in the same class have been vaccinated. (Handle)
