Since the end of February, and especially in early March, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of quarantined school students, announced in the morning program of BNT Vanya Kastreva, Head of the Regional Inspectorate of Education in Sofia.

When children in grades 1-4 returned to school, less than 400 tested positive or werein contact with an infected person. At the end of February, they were 1,400, that is, 1,000 more, but as of March 1, the numbers were rising sharply, on average by about 100 a day, Kastreva explained.

More than 3,000 schoolchildren were quarantined yesterday, but most of them just because of a contact with the infected. Only 9 in 10,000 children tested positive, she added.

The increase in the number of infected teachers is identical. We have 35% vaccinated teachers, Kastreva said.

The Director of the Regional Health Inspectorate - Sofia issued an order for suspension of in-person learning for students from 5th through 12th grade. We cannot but comply with the decision of the Ministry of Health, because children‘s health is our top priority, Kastreva is adamant.

Asked whether the graduation exams will be canceled, she said:

The Ministerof Education has repeatedly said that there will be no change, in fact, students have not stopped studying, but under different conditions.

At this stage,  it is not discussed whether to drop parts of the curriculum content from the exams papers.

In my opinion, there is no reason to extend the school year so far, explained Kastreva.

She also said she upholds the idea of locally applied anti-epidemic measures as the situation at schools in different areas cannot be compared.

I hope the children will be responsible and understand that they cannot gain knowledge unless they put an effort towards it. "Let it be the lesson they learn well," Kastreva said in conclusion.

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