From Monday, digital home learning will take place in upper secondary schools in the provinces of Viken and Vestland. The background is new tightened government infection control guidelines at both the national and regional levels.
Viken County's Central Emergency Management has decided to go red for all of our upper secondary schools. This is what the chairman of the district council and head of the central crisis management Tonje Brenna talks about. A red level means that teaching in upper secondary schools is mainly digital, and students do not have to go to school.
The exceptions are students with special needs in adapted education and practical subjects, where physical presence is desirable and necessary. This must be taken into account in every school - emphasizes Brenna.
Also studying at home in Western Norway
Vestland County will also introduce a red mark on several upper secondary schools from Monday. Students will likely have hybrid learning partly at home and partly at school. Vestland County City announces that it will be compiling a list of suitable schools on Thursday afternoon.
. This may be long lasting
Drammen Secondary School closed last week. The reason is that many teachers are quarantined.
We were looking forward to reopening to regular teaching, but the decision was made from Viken County, says Deputy Principal Petter Holvik. He says they are prepared for digital learning and have had a good experience this spring.
He believes that with the current situation of the Drammen infection, digital learning may still exist for some time. "We're prepared for that," says Holvik.
The latest information on restrictions in Norway
The infection situation in Viken varies from one commune to the next
Public transport and upper secondary education are services used by students crossing Viken's city limits. It is therefore considered that clear coordination on their part is required.
In some municipalities of Viken, the infection is minor. Hence, students meet students from municipalities where there are more infections on the bus and school, says Brenna.
That is why a holistic approach is important. School buses are full and many of our schools have crowds during breaks and free time. The one meter rule is difficult to follow. So now we come to this step, says Brenna.
. We are not closing schools
The district mayor also emphasizes that the "red level" does not mean high schools will be closed.
This means that we are mainly switching to digital education to reduce infection and ease public transport.
Schools have been on the red level for some time now. Brenna is convinced that school management is the best fit for teaching.
I am impressed and incredibly grateful for the efforts of those who stand at the forefront of both schools, dental clinics. Those who work in cleaning and drivers on our buses.
Now we all need to do everything we can to stop the infection to be as safe as possible for those most at risk of being infected at work, says Tonje Brenna
The future is uncertain
It is impossible to say how long the new rules will apply at Viken High School.
I think we have to be prepared for the fact that the situation may last a long time. It can change and deteriorate almost overnight - President of the County Council Tonje Brenna.
Thanks to everyone who is active now.
One of them is the largest vocational school Viken secondary school, Åssiden secondary school in Drammen.
