Youth work and vocational education classes may also be conducted indoors

Following amendments to the regulations on epidemiological safety measures to limit the spread of Covid-19 infection, the provision of vocational education services and youth work are also permitted indoors. These proposals, prepared by the Ministry of Education and Science, were supported by the government today, 6 July 2021.

Thus, higher education, vocational education, including vocationally oriented education, non-formal education and adult education services, amateur arts group classes and youth work will now be permitted indoors. Classes are permitted on the condition that no more than 30 people are simultaneously present in one room and that at least 3 m2 of the available area is provided for each person. Groups of up to 50 people may participate in classes outdoors, and participants from different groups must not come into contact with one another. In-person learning indoors is conducted by testing the persons involved in the classes and the learners every week. Testing is not required if there are no more than five participants in a group. Testing may be waived for persons holding a valid vaccination or recovery certificate.

Since vocational education, as well as training to maintain qualifications, often consists of programmes combining both theoretical and practical components, the amendments provide that, in in-person vocational further education, vocational development and training to maintain qualifications, both practical and theoretical training may be conducted in person.  Thus, in-person training will also be more accessible to people with limited computer skills and those experiencing problems with internet coverage or access to computer equipment.

At the same time, the option of continuing to choose to study the theoretical component remotely is retained.

The amendments also clarify that vaccinated and recovered persons may participate in all education programmes in person, both indoors and outdoors, in the acquisition of both practical and theoretical components, subject only to ventilation requirements. In such cases, persons who have not been vaccinated or recovered may not be present in the premises.

Changes have also been made to the conditions for implementing non-formal education programmes. The regulations currently in force do not provide for non-formal education programmes that are not specifically listed in the regulations to be conducted in person outdoors. These are primarily education programmes related to the professional development of individuals, implemented not only by educational institutions but also by other natural and legal persons, for completion of which no state-recognised documents certifying the acquisition of education are issued. This also applies to programmes of up to 160 hours related to the development of various skills for work and leisure, such as foreign languages, digital skills, handicrafts and others. Therefore, the amendments adopted today provide that non-formal education programmes for adults may be conducted outdoors in groups of up to 20 people (including when the cumulative number of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over a 14-day period exceeds 120). At the same time, several requirements must be met:

• the organiser of the training ensures the registration of learners and, at the request of the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, submits the data of persons who have been in close contact, for epidemiological investigation purposes;
• the training is organised in such a way as to prevent contact between learners, and payments for the training are made only by cashless means;
• before the class, the learner confirms by signature that they have no symptoms of respiratory illness and are not required to be in isolation, home quarantine or self-isolation.