Skopje, 1 February 2022 (MIA) – After a month-long winter break, an extended one due to a surge in Covid cases nationwide, nearly 255,000 students are getting back to school Tuesday for the second semester of the 2021/2022 school year. Health and education authorities have been insistent that schools should open for the second semester with in-person classes and with coronavirus protection protocols in place. In case of worsening of the epidemiological situation, two scenarios have been prepared since the end of the summer – namely, remote learning and blended learning. The First Children’s Embassy “Megjashi”, the education trade union (SONK) and the opposition party VMRO-DPMNE have been calling on the government to reconsider its decision allowing schools to open for the second semester and decide on online classes citing a peak in COVID-19 cases and many reinfections due to the highly contagious Omicron variant. According to Health Minister Bekim Sali, the decision has been made after it was determined that in-person learning can be organized despite the epidemiological situation. “According to our information, there’s no need to introduce online classes at this moment. The epidemiological situation is changing weekly. Based on these data, we make the decisions,” Sali said announcing a random screening will be organized among students as a preventative measure. The Education Ministry has also said it is closely monitoring the epidemiological situation and is in constant communication with the Commission for Infectious Diseases and the crisis coordination HQ. After it was announced last week that schools with open with in-person learning, UNICEF said it calls for national solidarity to keep schools safe and open throughout the school year. Any prolonged national closures of schools will further exacerbate learning losses and continue to have a negative impact on children’s emotional wellbeing, UNICEF noted in a statement. “The decision to reopen schools for in-person learning is a decision of the Government. We recognise that these are considered in the context of the COVID-19 epidemiological situation and the evolving understanding of the risks. However, they must also consider the impact of prolonged school closures on children’s learning and wellbeing,” said Patrizia DiGiovanni, UNICEF Representative.