Back to school: More than half of Romanian parents prefer in-person classes, study shows

As the Romanian authorities are preparing for the reopening of schools in mid-September, the Education Ministry has published a study revealing that more than half of parents (55%) would like their children to return to in-person classes.

The online/at-home only scenario would be the least desired, according to the same study, Hotnews.ro reported.

The authorities are taking into account three scenarios for the start of the new school year: in-person classes (children will go to school just as they did before the state of emergency declared in Romania in March), the mixed scenario (alternating virtual learning and in-class learning), and the online/at-home only scenario (classes will be held exclusively online).

The study published by the Education Ministry said that 55% of parents prefer in-person classes. This scenario thus registered the highest level of confidence (4.6 points out of 7).

“Although cautious about this option, parents consider that face-to-face classes are relatively appropriate for their children (4.6 points out of 7), and see it as the most appropriate compared to the mixed or distance option,” the study said.

“The parents’ main concern is that children will not respect the physical distancing and hygiene rules (more than 6 out of 10 parents), but also that some parents may send their children to school, even if they have symptoms.”

Almost a third (31%) of parents opt for hybrid courses, at home and at school, with a moderate degree of confidence (3.6 out of 7).

Meanwhile, only 14% of parents prefer the online/at-home only scenario, this option having the lowest confidence score (2.7 out of 7).

“The parents’ reluctance was generated by the lack of socialization (65% of parents), the extended time spent in front of the computer (58%). This is reflected in the difficulty of assimilating the information taught in distance learning (62%) or the fact that students lack concentration (54%), not having a clear program and a certain learning routine (52%),” the Education Ministry said.

The study was conducted between July 26 and August 3, 2020, by MKOR Consulting in partnership with the Education Research Unit within the National Center for Education Policy and Evaluation. More than 1,000 parents of children in pre-university education participated in this study.