Schools re-opening hit by lack of teachers 

A primary school teacher in Rolle makes the last preparations to open up her classroom Keystone / Laurent Gillieron

Up to 15% of teachers won’t be able to work in canton Zurich on Monday when compulsory schools re-open, the canton’s head of education says. They are either in the risk group or live with someone in the risk group. 

This is a rough estimate, Silvia Steiner told the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper on FridayExternal link. Replacements will be found among student teachers. She said she was convinced that schools would find a good solution by Monday, but she said she was aware that not everything could be sorted out in the last minute. 

It was a similar situation in other cantons like both Basels, with some expecting up to 20% fewer teachers, the newspaper reported.  

The head of the Swiss Teachers’ Federation Dagmar Rösler also reckons there will be a 15% gap.  

On May 11, all compulsory schools (with pupils up to the age of 16) are re-opening. Under Switzerland’s federal system, it’s the cantons that are in charge of educational matters – hence they have the last say in what happens.  

While the majority of German-speaking cantons have opted for “almost back to normal”–  allowing pupils to follow the regular school timetable, others, especially in French-speaking SwitzerlandExternal link, have chosen a more softly, softly approach. 

+ No unified plan for re-opening schools  

Zurich, an economic powerhouse, has been more strongly affected by the coronavirus than some other German-speaking cantons. It has therefore opted for the softly approach, with classes that are divided into two, with alternating schedules. This will last for four weeks before a more regular school timetable is expected to resume. 

Teachers and parents have raised concerns ahead of the re-opening of schools. The government has however set down a national health protocol for all schools – even if it has left the practicalities to the cantons – which include social distancing for adults and between adults and children (children between themselves are exempt as this is deemed unrealistic), extra cleaning and no sharing of snacks. There is no obligation to wear masks.