Kids did not fall behind while distance learning at most primary schools

Most primary schools report that their pupils did not sustain any learning gaps while distance learning due to the coronavirus, according to a pol by the general association of school leaders. 90 percent of schools said their pupils showed constant progress. 10 percent noticed a delay, of whom 1 percent said their pupils fell seriously behind, NOS reports.

"Plans are already being made for pupils where a backlog has been identified," AVS vice president Ingrid Doornbos said to the broadcaster. But according to her, most schools coped with distance learning very well. "Parents also worked very hard at home to continue to provide education to pupils. Distance learning was set up at breakneck speed and that deserves a lot of respect," she said. "There are even schools that indicate that their students progressed  faster."

80 percent of primary school directors are satisfied that schools will reopen fully on June 8, but there are schools that are concerned about how they'll handle a full load of kids. "In addition to the normal teacher shortage, teachers are also absent from schools because they cannot work because of the coronavirus," Doornbos said. 

Over half of the school directors think that the number of kids who come to class will not increase from June 8. More than a third expect more kids. "We see that the vast majority of pupils came to school in the past two weeks, but there are also parents who waited to see how the first weeks went." 15 percent of directors think that more children will be kept home because of fuller classes from June 8, though most schools don't plan to continue providing distance learning after that date.