Problems with longer school closures

If schools were to remain closed for longer, 83 percent of working parents expected problems or even serious problems combining work, childcare and home schooling. The FNV trade union reports this based on a survey among over 1,250 members and non-members.

The problems are indeed to be expected if school closures and childcare take longer than January 19. “We see working parents walking on their gums and falling out,” said FNV’s Judy Hoover.

OMT Advice

It was announced on Saturday that the outbreak management team (OMT) is advising the cabinet to close primary schools and childcare after January 25. This is due to concerns about the highly contagious British variant of the Coronavirus. The Cabinet earlier announced the extension of the lockdown until February 9, but hopes primary schools will open early. The Cabinet will likely endorse the negative advice of OMT.

Read more: OMT recommends keeping primary schools closed after January 25

Three-quarters of the audience thinks the combination is too difficult

74% of respondents consider combining work, childcare and home education very difficult. Although the majority of respondents (54 percent) say home schooling is now better organized, 63 percent spend more time homeschooling compared to last year. 41 percent spend 2 to 4 hours a day on this in addition to their work. About 33 percent indicate that they spend up to 2 hours a day counseling, more than 20 percent say 4 to 6 hours and 6 percent say 6 hours or more per day.

FNV calls for coronavirus, or paid leave, for working parents. To pay for it, the employers must be compensated by the government. Earlier this week, trade unions wrote a letter on the matter to Minister Wouter Kolmis for Social Affairs and Employment.

ANP