LocalElections2020/Ciolos: I hope Gov't not to play politically also school opening

The co-president of the USR-PLUS Alliance, Dacian Ciolos, declared on Sunday, in Sibiu, that pupils should be able to go to school under safe health conditions, and the local and central authorities had time to prepare for the opening of the new school year.

"Normally there should be no reason for school not to start on time. And I say it very directly, I hope the Government does not play politically also this story with the opening or postponing the opening of the school, because the local authorities have a responsibility in preparing the infrastructure to be ready to receive pupils and the ministry must prepare everything related to the teaching side. They had time to do it. The mandate of the mayors was extended. They knew very well that they had to prepare the beginning of the school year because elections will only be at the end of September at best. So, it is a topic we cannot play with," Dacian Ciolos told a news conference.

Ciolos says that the politicization of the education system is a problem that should be solved.

"As we have been talking a lot about health since spring, and we have seen how the systemic, structural problems that we have not solved in health in recent years (...) have exploded in front of us, now, in a crisis situation. The same way now we see Romania's other big problem, education, the education system. We have politicized it to the teeth. (...) So, yes, I think that schools should be opened. Obviously there are risks, but that is why we have authorities: to reduce those risks", said Dacian Ciolos.

According to Ciolos, the authorities should be prepared for pupils to take online courses as well, but this would only be a backup solution.

"If we are to be prepared for what is to come, we should also be prepared for this backup situation, the online school, but where possible (...) we should also start the physical school," added Dacian Ciolos.

Ciolos was present in Sibiu on Sunday to support USR PLUS candidates for the local elections.