The government announced on Tuesday that schools in Finland will gradually reopen on 14 May. Over the next two weeks, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Regional State Administrative Agencies, Finnish National Agency for Education and Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare will draw up uniform guidelines on this matter.
However, the government's decision is drawing mixed reactions from parents, educators, including teacher trade union OAJ.
Story continues after audio.
Yle compiled a list of key questions being posed and answers to them based on current official information.
**If a student or a family member is at risk, is the child required to return to school?
**"No. If necessary, you can obtain a doctor's opinion and then the matter will be handled accordingly," said Anita Lehikoinen, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Culture.
**So does this mean that such children have to undergo a medical examination?
**“There must be a doctor's note, to begin with."
**What about teachers, many of whom are also at risk?
**According to the guidelines of THL and the Ministry of Education and Culture, occupational physicians will assess teachers at risk and determine if they are cleared to go to work.
**Will at-risk groups be able to receive remote education?
**"The Basic Education Act offers remote teaching facilities through exceptional arrangements. The student requires a medical certificate to avail this. In such cases, teachers hand out home assignments and activities," Lehikoinen said.
The ministry had said that schools will be opened in stages in a controlled manner, in accordance with health officials' guidance and keeping classrooms separate from each other, possibly in different shifts. Few schools have empty classes or otherwise extra space. How can these measures be implemented?
"There are quite a lot of facilities in municipalities other than schools that can be used for educational purposes. These decisions are better taken at a local level," Lehikoinen said.
The joint guidelines of THL and the education ministry have advised the use of vacant high schools and vocational schools, for instance.
**General guidelines are being drawn up by ministries and education agencies, but what kind of issues remain to be decided by municipalities and individual schools?
**The education ministry and social affairs ministry will send instructions to the regional administrative agencies, on the basis of which agencies will make decisions locally.
However, municipalities have a great deal of decision-making power and school-specific decision-making is very much the responsibility of school administrations, Lehikoinen added.
"Schools can decide independently about organising facilities, meals and teaching arrangements. At the end of the spring semester, it has been usual for many schools to conduct teaching outdoors. Could that be more in practice now? It’s entirely up to the schools.”
**What if a student doesn't go to school for the last few weeks?
**“In that regard, we are returning to a normal school situation. [Students] must apply for permission to be absent, and there must be grounds for doing so. We hope that fears that the learning environment is not safe would not be a reason to seek permission for not coming to school. We are doing everything to ensure that the return to school is safe. At the same time, the right of children and young people to receive basic education is being secured," Lehikoinen said.
**What about the risk of infection in school transport?
**According to THL and the education ministry, the municipalities will decide on how school transport will be organised.