Covid-19 // Article 7 – Situation update: APEEE team, pedagogical issues and OIB

Despite the current turbulent situation your APEEE is taking concrete actions and analysing what to do next. Indeed, we need to navigate in a constantly changing context in which we depend on third parties (the Office of the Secretary General, the Belgian national government and regional authorities). But we also work proactively to pave the way to resuming the regular schooling in situ.

The Board and the office director and managers are in touch with the service providers to work out solutions enabling them to remain operational, once the schooling in situ will resume. We are also building scenarios on how the services could be run once the school activities resume.

We also treasure the people we work with and therefore are taking concrete steps for the APEEE staff and our contractors.

Thus, be advised that most of the staff is on teleworking mode since Tuesday 17/03 and is therefore available by email to answer your questions. They are, among other things, currently working on the registrations that will open soon for next school year’s transport, canteen and extracurricular activities services.

With regard to the pedagogical aspect, we have been focusing on participating very actively in the on-going decisions at the level of the Board of Governors of the European Schools concerning the end of the current school year and the entailing decisions to be made on end-of-year grades, European Baccalaureate included. We are also trying to help you as much as possible by sharing with you some coaching exercises, as well as the documents that have been sent by the school regarding distance learning, or other external initiatives that have been taking place in our society, etc., and we intend to continue to do so in the coming days.

Finally, please note that the OIB has sent the following message on 17/04 to the parents of children enrolled in the OIB care centre:

“On 15/04/2020, the Belgian Prime Minister announced the extension of the confinement measures until 03/05/2020, followed by a progressive de-confinement plan.

Following this announcement, Mrs. Ingestadt informed the personnel of the Commission, that they are preparing a gradual exit strategy, to be implemented as of 4 May.

This means that we are also extending the temporary closure of all our childcare facilities up until 03/05/2020.  At this point in time, we are not yet able to give you the date or the conditions under which we will re-open our nurseries, kindergartens or afterschool facilities (internal or external structures).

We are working in close cooperation with our medical antennas, ONE, Kind & Gezin and our staff in developing the necessary secure conditions to safely restart our activities, and we will be sure to keep you informed of the conditions pertaining to the re-integration of our childcare structures.”