Ministry starts rapid coronavirus testing pilot for students and staff

Next week, the Ministry of Education is launching a pilot for rapid coronavirus testing in higher education. This was announced on Wednesday by Education Minister Ingrid van Engelshoven, with Groningen kicking off the trial.

Besides Groningen, Amsterdam and Delft are also exploring the possibilities for rapid testing locations. In Groningen, a hundred students from the university will initially be invited to have a test 24 hours before an in-person exam. They will receive the results within three hours. Normal coronavirus measures remain in place during the exams for all students, even if they have tested negative.

According to the Minister, the aim is to see whether more face-to-face learning can be introduced. Based on the pilot, it will be decided whether the rapid testing locations can also be used for practical classes. The pilot will be conducted at universities and universities of applied sciences as well as regional education and training centres (ROCs). Students and staff at the participating institutions will be tested.