{"id":129782,"date":"2021-08-24T14:32:28","date_gmt":"2021-08-24T12:32:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=129782"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:25:49","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:25:49","slug":"trade-union-to-poll-members-on-reopening-of-education-sector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2021\/08\/24\/trade-union-to-poll-members-on-reopening-of-education-sector\/","title":{"rendered":"Trade union to poll members on reopening of education sector"},"content":{"rendered":"

Starting from September, students will be welcome on campus again, and they will no longer be required to observe physical distancing rules during seminars and lectures. However, they will be required to wear face masks in the corridors and group size will be capped at 75 students.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMilena Chopova<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

The people in charge of universities and student organisations think that this is good news, but some lecturers are expressing concerns, referring to the Outbreak Management Team (OMT)\u2019s experts, who recently recommended that the reopening of Dutch universities be put off for another three weeks. They said this would reduce the risks associated with the start of a new academic year.<\/p>\n

Surprise<\/h2>

\u201cWe were quite surprised by the Cabinet\u2019s decision,\u201d says Marijtje Jongsma, who serves on the board of the AOb trade union, which caters to educators. \u201cThe Ministry mainly spoke to university executives and students. Our chair was only invited once.\u201d<\/p>\n

The trade union has just distributed a survey<\/a> among lecturers to identify their concerns, since the union feels that lecturers\u2019 concerns were more or less ignored in the considerations regarding the reopening of universities.<\/p>\n

Jongsma feels that many more measures could be implemented to ensure lecturers\u2019 safety, such as rapid testing in order to be granted access, physical distancing and mandatory face masks during classes. \u201cI know universities want to reopen their doors \u2013 we all want that, education is very important \u2013 but we mustn\u2019t lose sight of reality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Question marks<\/h2>\n\t
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Lees meer<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t