Mask obligation at primary schools

Most students have been coping well with the situation after the government council issued the order more than a week ago. Individual parents are resisting the mask requirement, however.

For more than a week now, masks have been mandatory for pupils and teachers from the first primary class in the canton of Zug, in all indoor areas from the entrance to a schoolhouse. This is because a large number of infections have been detected in educational institutions in recent weeks, so that, in addition to the regular series tests, the mask requirement has also become necessary again, as the government council (Regierungsrat) comments in a written communication on the newly taken measures.

"Our ultimate goal is that face-to-face teaching can still be maintained, and that as few students as possible have to quarantine," says Stephan Schleiss, Director of Education in Zug. This well-known and proven remedy is intended to stabilise the situation. But how has the expansion been received and implemented at primary schools?

School-supplementary care also affected by compulsory masks
On the whole, the implementation is proceeding calmly. A good compromise has been found between pedagogy and epidemiology, says Stephan Schleiss: "That means: put on masks when the class is on the move. Take off masks when the class is sitting at their desks. This is a proportionate solution. It can be communicated well and can be implemented quite easily." School-supplementary care from the first primary class is also affected by the mask requirement, as the students are also on the school grounds. "The canton is only now starting to monitor the correct implementation, but we have no reason to believe that the schools are not adhering to it," continues Stephan Schleiss.

The feedback from parents varies
Barbara Kurth, President of the Teachers' Association of the Canton of Zug, knows that each municipality is handling the final implementation somewhat differently. In the city, for example, the children receive a new mask from the school every half-day. "The teachers hang a new mask on each child's cloakroom box in the morning. This means that when entering the classroom, the new mask can be put on and the old mask disposed of," she explains. Situational implementation options are possible. The decision-making authority lies with the teachers here. From Barbara Kurth's observations, almost all children wear the mask when walking around the schoolhouse. She is certain: "Children understand this very well if you explain it to them accordingly."

Masks have been mandatory at primary schools in Zug for more than a week.
Photo: Mixetto / E+

"The school has received feedback from some parents who reject the mask requirement, but also from those who support the mask requirement. There are individual parents who oppose the mask requirement," says Peter Meier, Rector of Steinhausen School and Head of the Rectors' Conference Zug. "Most of the students manage the situation well. They implement the instructions on when the masks are to be worn. There are also children who continue to wear the masks while sitting. Some individual children don’t have to wear a mask due to a medical certificate," says Peter Meier, explaining the situation at the Steinhausen schools. The new situation is gradually being accepted. As there is no mask requirement outdoors, the children can also play outside where possible.

Students coping well with the situation
Stephan Schleiss also confirms that there was feedback on wearing mask at the primary schools, and that some parents were against it. In comparison, however, there has so far been virtually no feedback from the upper school and the grammar school. "By implementing transitional periods, we have ensured that there was time for communication," continues Stephan Schleiss, assuring: "The vast majority of parents can already see that we have found a proportionate solution. Most of the fears about wearing masks were able to be dispelled in conversations."

"I've only heard that a group of parents wants to do something about the mask requirement. But I don't know any further details about this," adds Barbara Kurth.