RIGA, Nov 25 (LETA) - The government has shifted its responsibility to school principals, municipalities and parents with its new Covid-19 restrictions, commenting on the government's decision that one pupil will have to be provided with three square meters of distancing in schools from 30 November, Inara Dundure from the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments told LETA.

The association's advisor on educational and cultural issued emphasized that it was practically impossible for most schools to provide such distancing space for one pupil. As a result, schools will be forced to look for different solutions - setting up shifts, teaching only the most important subjects or something elese.

Dundure explained that schools with a primary school curriculum would not have such opportunities. On the other hand, in schools where children study remotely starting from the 7th grade, the students of the smaller classes could be placed in other classrooms that are unoccupied.

However, then additional teachers will be needed to organize the classes, because one teacher cannot be in different places at the same time.

Consequently, additional funding is needed either to attract teachers or to provide allowances for existing teachers. Given the lack of such funding, school principals are now being held hostage.

Dundure stressed that when the government made such a decision, it had to follow up with the next decisions on how to implement all these new measures and where to get the necessary funding, but the government does not take responsibility for its decisions and does not listen to arguments.

Consequently, both teachers and municipal leaders are disappointed with these decisions that increase stress even more during this difficult time, she said.

As reported, due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the government decided on harsher restrictions in education and sports, as agreed by the Cabinet and the Crisis Management Council yesterday.

Starting from November 30, schools will have to ensure that the minimum floor space per pupil in classrooms is 3 square meters.