The first week since kindergartens is over, but parents have been asked – as far as possible – not to bring shoots to them. So far, this, softer, form of restriction has not yielded the expected results.
The collected data on the capital show that the decrease in the number of children in groups is practically not observed. The same is true of other municipal and private gardens.
The government’s call was rather such a request – if possible, do not take the children to the gardens. But we have been living with Covid-19 and the emergency for a year now, and the combination of living with teleworking and childcare has exhausted many, so it is no wonder that not all parents have been able to respond to this call.
Daina Ratniece is a kindergarten teacher and a mother of two daughters. Beate 13 years old, little Nellie – only two and a half.
While the mother looks after the other babies in the private garden during the day, the big daughter picks up the little one who is cold at home. Otherwise he would be taken to the garden.
“I have to continue working as a parent. I work as a tutor in a private garden three days a week, the rest of the time at home, then I don’t take my little child, ”says Ratniece.
Asked if the parents had responded to the call, she replied: “One mother will not lead, it is one mother. The others all lead. Even those who do not work and sit at home continue to carry their children. To be honest, nothing has changed, the children are taken to the garden and life goes on.
The same is confirmed by the municipal pre-school – despite the call, the number of children has not dropped much.
Iveta Valaine, the head of PII “Dzīpariņš”, points out: “The number of children is large, all groups are full. In the institution, all activities take place within the group, as allowed, and children do not feel any restrictions on a daily basis. They have fun and good. ”-
Riga has already collected data for the first week, and the observation there is the same – “we do not see a decrease in the eye”. 57% of kindergarteners have attended preschool, which is only slightly less than the average in Covid-19 conditions.
In addition, this was a week off for the students. Families with children of different ages could also give holidays to the youngest. Teachers’ children could also stay at home.
Jānis Aizpors, the head of the Communication Department of the Ministry of Education and Science, points out: Please do not bring children, endure. We all want the situation to end soon and the inconvenience is needed, but with common sense. ”
Ināra Dundure, Adviser on Education to the Union of Local Governments of Latvia, says: “We were the ones who suggested that we should not determine – they can, they can’t. Situations are different. It is difficult to assess which should be present in production and which should not. Every parent evaluates their own situation. ”
The Union of Local Governments also emphasizes that, in addition to the mandatory testing of teachers, which is already taking place, it is equally important to understand that if it is not possible to do without pre-schools, teachers should be moved higher in line after vaccination. It is also supported by the Minister.
“PII is being tested. We and LPS monitor security measures, emphasizing that PII staff and teachers will be the first to have the opportunity to be vaccinated, ”explains the Minister of Education Ilga Šuplinska (JKP).
The Ministry of Education has promised that stricter measures to force older children to remain at home are not planned yet.
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