A total of 53 students and eight teachers have been put in isolation since the school year started on October 1, the Ministry of Education and Science said in a press release on Thursday.

Swift measures are taken in schools where in-person classes are held to curb the spread of the virus and protect the rest of the pupils, as well as the learning process.

According to the Education Ministry, the importance of distance learning, i.e. combined approach, is now more evident than ever.

“Six of the eight infected teachers have not been in direct contact with pupils, as they teach classes online. Moreover, all students and teachers who are now self-isolating will switch to distance learning in order to safely resume with classes. In addition to online classes, the national broadcaster airs 15-minute TV classes daily. Teacher also distribute printed materials to students and are in constant communication with their parents,” the press release read.

At the moment, the Ministry noted, 10 second graders from the Radovish village of Podaresh are self-isolating after one of their classmates tested positive for COVID-19.

“In a Skopje school, two teachers and one pupil tested positive for coronavirus, causing 39 students to be put in isolation. Three more pupils have tested positive for COVID-19 in Tetovo, Shtip and Kochani, respectively,” the press release added.

The Education Ministry, it stressed, actively monitors the coronavirus situation in schools and calls on stakeholders to abide by protective measures and protocols, adopted by the government to ensure the education process resumes uninterrupted.

“We call on teachers to take personal COVID-19 protection seriously. They are responsible for protecting their own health, as well as the health of their students,” the press release concluded.