Q&A by the VO Council on the protocol ‘Education during coronavirus – partial closure’

From 16 December 2020, schools will switch to online education for the majority of students. An exception applies to a number of students or groups of students; these students will continue to attend school.

Which students will continue to attend school and when?

• Students taking their final exams this school year will follow the educational programme at school.
• Pre-exam students may attend school to sit their school examinations;
• Vulnerable students will attend school for education or care. Where necessary, the school will determine together with the municipality which students fall into this category.
• Vocational lessons in pre-vocational secondary education (VMBO), practical education and secondary special education will continue to take place at school.

NB. The combination of vulnerable students, the continuation of vocational education and in-person education for final-year classes means that a large proportion of the students at these schools will continue to attend school. As a result, schools for practical education and secondary special education may decide to remain fully open in person for all their students. This is a decision for the competent authority.

What about in-person education for students in a vulnerable position?

Students in a vulnerable position may attend school. It is up to the school, in consultation with the municipality, to determine which students this concerns. As in the spring, this will in any case include students for whom home is not a safe or suitable environment, as well as newcomer students. The school will inform students and parents about this.

The combination of vulnerable students, the continuation of vocational education and in-person education for final-year classes means that a large proportion of the students at these schools will continue to attend school. As a result, schools for practical education and secondary special education may decide to remain fully open in person for all their students. This is a decision for the competent authority.

Which students might be considered to be in vulnerable positions?

• Students who do not have the facilities needed for distance learning.
• Students who need more support at home, for example because their parents do not have a good command of Dutch or are unable to provide the necessary support.
• Students for whom home is not a safe environment.

It is up to the school, in consultation with the municipality, to determine which students this concerns.

Will schools remain open for students taking their final exams, and must these students receive in-person education?

Yes, schools must remain open for students taking their final exams. This group of students must therefore receive in-person education if the student in question is taking an exam in that subject.

Will schools remain open for pre-exam students, and must these students receive in-person education?

No, students in pre-exam years will follow distance learning. However, these students may sit their school examinations at school.

May all schools for practical education remain open?

This is not a general exception. In practice, however, it may mean that a school for practical education remains open for in-person education, given that the majority of students in practical education take vocational lessons and/or are in a vulnerable position. In effect, this means that a school for practical education may then remain fully open in person for all its students. This is a decision for the competent authority.

Must the school provide vocational lessons in VMBO in person, or may it choose to offer them online?

Yes, the school must also offer vocational lessons in person at a VMBO school, just as applies to vocational lessons in practical education and secondary special education. It is impractical to provide vocational lessons properly online. These subjects must therefore be taken at school in person, rather than online.

Can VMBO students who already attend vocational lessons in person also take their other subjects at school in person?

No, in addition to students taking exams and vulnerable students, the exception allowing in-person education applies only to vocational lessons.

Must the school provide online lessons from Wednesday 16 December, or can it focus on the period starting 4 January 2021?

The measures, coming so shortly before the Christmas holidays, have a major impact on education and on your school. It is important that teachers, school leaders and other education staff are genuinely able to take time off and recharge, as it has already been a challenging year.

If, in the days before the Christmas holidays, you are faced with the choice between making preparations to provide distance learning as effectively as possible in the weeks after Christmas, or providing your students with an educational programme in the coming days, we advise you to give priority to the former. That way, we hope the holiday will be a real holiday for you and your colleagues as much as possible.

May students whose parents have vital professions attend school?

Contrary to what the VO Council communicated on 14 December, they may not. This exception applies only to children in primary education and childcare.

When will there be clarity about the Central Exam?

At present, it is not yet clear when this clarification will be provided. A letter to Parliament was due to be sent on 14 December. With the announcement of the lockdown, this communication has been postponed.

How should internships be handled?

Whether an internship can continue depends on the rules applying to the sector or industry in which the internship takes place. If those activities continue, the internship may also continue.

May teachers come to school to provide distance learning?

Yes, teachers may come to school to teach an online lesson from an empty classroom. Their presence must then be limited to teaching only. The students will not be at school. This must always be agreed with the employer.