ANSA: Pupils across Italy protest against distance learning

ROME. KAZINFORM Pupils and teachers in 60 Italian cities were striking and staging protests against distance learning on Friday.

The protest-strike was called by the Priorità alla Scuola community and some unions, ANSA reports.

Around eight in 10 pupils in Italy are currently doing lessons via distance learning due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The government has ordered all schools to switch to distance learning in high-contagion-risk red zones.

It also recently changed the criteria to make it easier for regions to be classed as red zones.

This, coupled with the recent surge in infections, means that half of the country is currently a red zone.

Furthermore, the government has also given local authorities the power to close schools in specific areas of high contagion, even if the region as a whole is not a red zone.

Premier Mario Draghi has said that his government hopes to start reopening schools, even in red zones, after Easter, starting with elementary and nursery schools.

Local public transport workers are also striking on Friday to protest against the failure to renew their collective contract.