Mass Events Prohibited in Schools, Parental Meetings Held Remotely

The Commandant's Office has approved guidelines for organizing activities in educational institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. This information comes from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports.

Based on the epidemic situation, the educational process in all levels of general education (elementary, middle, and high schools) will resume on September 15, 2020, with in-person classes, while first-graders will attend school with one adult companion on September 14. The first semester of the academic year consists of 13 weeks.

The educational process will be conducted in compliance with the rules established by the guidelines, which are mandatory for all institutions, regardless of their legal organizational form. The responsibility for providing a healthy and safe working and educational environment lies entirely with the director of the educational institution. Compliance with the requirements is mandatory for all school staff, parents, and students.

Schools will be supplied with masks, skin sanitizers, disinfectants, and tissues with a reserve of at least one week. Throughout the day, staff and students will be provided with necessary masks and disinfectant materials, and contactless thermometers will be available at all school entrances.

Classes will be divided into groups of no more than 20 students. If the classroom size does not allow for social distancing for 20 students, the class will be divided into groups of 10. The distribution of textbooks will be conducted from August 20 to September 10, while adhering to safety rules.

Schools will have a six-day work week, and a two-shift system may be established as needed. Classes of up to 20 students will attend school six days a week as per the timetable. Each of the two groups in a divided class will attend school three days a week. The group schedule will be organized for consecutive class sessions and independent work days. On independent work days, students will complete assignments given by the teacher at home.

Note: The operation of cafeterias and buffets in schools is prohibited.

Students in risk groups will not attend school. Their education will be organized through remote or home instruction. The illnesses included in the risk group defined by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia are high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke (cerebral vascular accident), chronic respiratory diseases, and cancer.

Before coming to school, parents or legal representatives should measure the child's temperature. If the temperature is 37°C or higher, they must contact the local health facility and inform the school that the child will not attend. If there is a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 at home, the child must not attend school. Entry without a mask is prohibited; the school will provide disposable masks at the entrance for students without them.

Parents are encouraged to communicate with teachers and support ensuring a 'Healthy and Safe School'.

Cleaning and disinfecting of schools will occur in the evenings before classes begin or before classes start, disinfecting all door handles, tables, chairs, blackboards, and restrooms. If classes are conducted in shifts, adequate breaks between shifts must be sufficient for cleaning. Proper ventilation will be done at least three times a day for 8-10 minutes each time. Hand washing will be facilitated with running hot and cold water using elbow- or foot-controlled taps, soap, and if impossible, immediate disinfection will be available. Alcohol-based disinfectants will be provided at the entrance, in hallways, classrooms, teacher lounges, and other rooms. Specially marked closed bins will be installed for disposing of used masks and other personal protective equipment.

Students enter the school according to the schedule set by the educational institution, and can be accompanied by no more than one person. The entry of the accompanying person is prohibited. Entry without a mask is prohibited; disposable masks will be provided at the school entrance. Lines will be marked at entrances to ensure safety. Students will enter through all available entrances and must maintain social distance to avoid crowding at the school grounds or entrance.

Temperature checks and hand sanitizing will be conducted upon entering the school. The school will keep a record of student temperature checks, and only those with temperatures of 37°C or higher will be recorded. Each entrance will have designated areas for isolating sick children until their parents or a doctor arrives.

In the classroom, students must wear masks. They will participate in classes from their seats; calling them to the board is prohibited. Handing back graded written work is also prohibited, but students may receive photocopies of their work. Physical education classes will be held in the classroom according to methodological guidelines provided to teachers or in outdoor spaces and gyms, focusing on individual exercises.

Student assessments will be conducted on sheets of paper; notebooks cannot be used for thematic written assignments. Two thematic written assessments will be conducted during the semester, and a final assessment will take place at the semester's end via a comprehensive written exam. Student evaluations will be recorded in an electronic ledger, and grades can be viewed by both students and parents in an electronic diary.

Mass events, extended services, and extracurricular groups are prohibited in schools.

Note: Parental meetings will be organized remotely, or outdoors, if impossible, in an auditorium or hallway while maintaining anti-epidemic regulations.

Teachers in risk groups, specifically those aged 65 and older (regardless of health status), may attend work with special protective measures provided by the state. They may opt not to attend work, in which case they will not be assigned classes, but their salary will be maintained in accordance with the previous academic year's distribution, but no more than for one position. Teachers who do not attend work due to being in a risk group may conduct classes remotely. If any staff member shows signs of influenza or acute respiratory infections, they are prohibited from attending work.

For clarifications, you can contact the Ministry of Education’s Hotline at (010) 599 – 600 or the general education department at (010) 599 – 618, (010) 599 – 619. In cases of suspected illness among school staff, call the Ministry of Health’s hotline at 8003. For complaints, call the commandant’s hotline at 8141.