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Within two weeks all necessary preparations for the start of the new 2020/2021 school year in pandemic time will be completed, representatives at the Kosovo Ministry of Education and Science say.

On the other hand, the United Union for Education and Culture, the SBASK, has warned that if proper preparations are not made, the start of the new school year could be postponed again.

The new school year has had to begin on September 1st, but has been postponed, as the Ministry of Education said, in order to ensure secure conditions for children, educators and parents.

In directions from the National Institute of Public Health, I KSHPK, in order to maintain the health of students at school, says the school should ensure that the specific distance of security is respected at least 1.5 meters, each student and the school staff should be measured by temperature through laser thermometers every day.

Each student should provide a personal mask that is used all the time in school environments. Hand disinfection should be done after any introductions and exits from the classroom, surfaces, and tables should be cleaned regularly with surface disinfectant and other instructions.

Enver Osdautaj, senior political adviser in the cabinet of Minister of Education and Science Rame Likaj, tells Radio Free Europe that all these instructions given by I The KPS are considering whether schools were undertaken.

“We're following the situation, we're escorting to the municipal director and schools that they've respected enough the guidelines coming from us as an institution (Health Ministry) and the National Institute of Public Health. The inspector is on the ground and is conveying everything in the best possible way”, Osdautaj says.

The United Trade Union for Education, Science and Culture requires educational institutions, which within these two weeks will be prepared technicalally and implement the recommendations I has given KPS. The chairman of this union, Nundman Jasharaj, told Radio Free Europe that otherwise there may still be delays.

What we want is that these two weeks don't spend in debates or looking for the offender, but these two weeks spend doing concrete work so that educational institutions can be disinfected, equipped with disinfectant, as I guide KPS. These two weeks must all engage to create conditions for the start of the school year on September 14,”, says Jasharaj.

He adds that education workers are declared ready to return to schools and commit to realising a school year, but have sought to be protected by offering protection measures.

The SBASK says that they had demanded that the lesson not begin on September 1st, since schools were not prepared to start teaching in pandemic times. According to them, classes have not been prepared to provide physical distance, disinfectant and others.

The delay in preparing school facilities for the start of 2020/2021 school year in pandemic time in Kosovo is being criticised by parents' representatives.

Ymret Resiti from the Kosovo Parents' Council tells Radio Free Europe that Kosovo institutions during the time of the annual school vacation have had to prepare for the learning to begin over time.

Our <x0IInstitutions have not been clear in their concept of whether from September to start teaching in schools or from a distance, even though they have had an obligation to think and act in accordance with the state of pandemic, it is a neglect of the” institutions, says Resiti.

He said that these two weeks, including measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, should be sufficient for the start of the school year.

If Kosovo is not really prepared to hold school lessons then that should be said by responsible institutions and not waste time. We must be more responsible. If there is no conditions to keep teaching in schools to use other” scenarios, Resitij says.

However, schools in Serbian municipalities in Kosovo, on September 1st have started the new school year through online learning, according to recommendations by Serbia's Ministry of Education. This is confirmed to Radio Free Europe, Lubisa Karadzic, director of the “Mildin Mitiq” in Llapnasela, the municipality of Gracanica.

He said that physical return to schools has been postponed due to the epidemiological situation, but also recommendations of Serbian educational institutions. He also added that they are not obliged to consult the Kosovo Government Education Ministry. Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Technology in Kosovo Xhevat Rexhaj, on August 28th, has said the Kosovo Government's decision to postpone the start of the new school year applies to all communities in Kosovo and to all school institutions.

School institutions in Kosovo have been closed since March 12th, following measures the Government of Kosovo undertaken for preventing the spread of corruption. After 10 days of closing the school lesson had begun from a distance.

Remote instruction for classrooms 1 to 9 was accomplished through broadcasts of lessons recorded on public television, as well as through the STAT channel (The Ministry of Education) on YouTube. While, at the level of high school instruction in the distance took place decentralisedly, where teachers are the main drivers of distance learning.