Gov’t to pay 75pc of the salaries of parents if kids’ classes are suspended

The Government will grant parents an aid of 75pc of the salary in the new school year if classes are suspended in a certain school due to the COVID-19 pandemic, PM Ludovic Orban announced on Thursday.

“During the state of emergency there was an aid for the families with children and a parent could choose to stay home during the time classes were suspended, and the state paid 75% of his/her salary. We also consider a similar measure for when school starts. The measure will be flexible as the epidemiological situation will vary from one locality to another, so there will be a local measure. If we have coronavirus cases in one school and the unit closed for 14 days, all parents of the pupils in that school will receive that form of aid of 75pc during the period classes are suspended”, PM Orban said.

President Klaus Iohannis has announced in a press conference on Wednesday that school starts on September 14, and most the pupils will physically attend classes, yet classes will be suspended in a certain school if the locality sees a growing number of COVID-19 cases.

However, parents’ opinions are divided on this issue. Iulian Cristache, the president of the National Federation of the Parents Associations warned that we might end up with schools and schoolmasters being sued by parents if pupils get contaminated.

“The fact the school meets the sanitary and hygiene conditions it doesn’t mean the infection risk is totally ruled out.The child goes to school by public transport means, interacting outside the school. There is no guarantee the child will be protected”,  Iulian Cristache said.