Students are Prohibited from Leaving Classrooms During Breaks: Guidelines for Schools

The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports has published guidelines for organizing the activities of educational institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to these guidelines, the educational process at all levels of public education (elementary, middle, and high school) will commence on September 15, 2020, with in-person classes, while first graders will start attending school on September 14, accompanied by one adult.

Each school will designate a responsible person for monitoring the control of the coronavirus infection, who will be the school principal by default. All staff members are responsible for adhering to the established guidelines, and compliance is mandatory for school staff, parents, and students alike.

Schools will provide masks, hand sanitizers, disinfectants, and tissues, with at least a one-week supply. Throughout the day, staff and students will be supplied with necessary masks and disinfectants, as well as thermometers for remote measurements, available at least at the school entrances. Individual thermometers will also be provided as needed.

Mass gatherings are prohibited within schools, and extended services as well as extracurricular activities organized by the school will temporarily cease. Entry to the institution without a mask is prohibited for school staff. Furthermore, all school personnel are required to wear masks throughout their stay in the school. Staff members are subjected to mandatory temperature checks at the school entrance, and the results will be recorded in the appropriate logbook. If any staff member exhibits symptoms characteristic of acute respiratory infections, their work will be immediately halted.

The maximum allowable number of students per classroom is set at 20. Classrooms will be divided into groups based on the possibilities of maintaining a 1.5-meter social distance according to the following principles:
a. Classes with more than 20 students will be divided into two groups.
b. For classes or groups with up to 20 students, the educational process will be organized in classrooms with a minimum area of 54 m² or in appropriately equipped auditoriums, hallways, and outdoor areas.
c. For classes with up to 10 students, the process will be organized in classrooms with a minimum area of 42 m² or similarly equipped spaces.
d. Private educational institutions may apply different scenarios for classroom organization and arrangement, provided they adhere to the general anti-epidemic rules.

Schools will operate on a 6-day work schedule to limit students' presence in the building as much as possible. Students are required to wear masks, changing them every 4 hours and as needed. Respecting the provisions of Part 2, Clause 3 of these guidelines, if classrooms are insufficient in number, classes can be held in prepared auditoriums and hallways, as well as outdoors when conditions permit and weather is favorable.

The educational process for each class will be conducted in the same classroom, eliminating the use of subject-specific classrooms. During breaks, students are not permitted to leave their classrooms. Exiting the classroom is regulated as necessary under the supervision of a teacher.

Throughout the educational process, maintaining social distance among students is essential to avoid crowding and close contact. Seating arrangements for students during classes will be arranged as far apart as possible, either in a staggered formation or, if that is not feasible, at opposite ends of the table. Students will participate from their seats. Calling students to the board is prohibited. Classes will be organized in a frontal manner; group work is banned whenever social distance cannot be maintained.

Written assignments should not use notebooks; instead, they will be conducted on sheets of paper. After completion, the papers will be collected by the teacher in a designated box. The assessment of written work will occur the following day. Graded assignments cannot be returned to students. However, photocopies may be provided if necessary.

Physical education classes will be conducted in the classroom following methodological instructions provided to teachers or in outdoor areas and gymnasiums, focusing on individual exercises while prohibiting contact or activities requiring high intensity or group games. During the semester, two thematic written assignments will be organized for each subject. At the end of the semester, students’ knowledge will be assessed through a semester summary written test.

Students' evaluations will be recorded electronically, and grades can be viewed by students and parents in the electronic journal. The operation of buffets and cafeterias within schools is prohibited. Should food organization be necessary, it will occur in classrooms in the form of dry food.

Teachers in high-risk groups due to severe illness, including those aged 65 and older regardless of their health status, may choose to either attend work using special protective measures provided by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports or conduct their work remotely if conditions allow, or refrain from attending work. Should they opt not to attend, class assignments for these teachers will not be made, and their salaries will be calculated based on the allocations of the preceding academic year for no more than one position, adhering to Article 186 of the Labor Code of the Republic of Armenia. In the case of non-state educational institutions, salary calculations will be carried out as per the school’s decision in accordance with the labor code.