São Paulo lifts schools’ student limit and frees in-person higher education classes

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Governor João Doria’s administration on Wednesday (7) lifted the limit on the number of students in basic education schools present in class. Up to now, the rule of up to 35% of students was in force.

The return of in-person higher education has also been released. Universities and technical colleges will have to follow the maximum limits applicable to commerce. Currently, stores may operate at up to 40% capacity in the state.

State Education Secretary Rossieli Soares had announced in June that he intended to expedite the return to classes in the second half of the year, putting an end to school occupancy rates.

Under the new decree, published on Wednesday in the State Gazette, public and private schools will only be required to maintain a minimum distance of one meter between students.

The distance rule applies to all school environments “including those of common access, for the development of any activities.” According to the decree, the planning of activities must be performed “in accordance with the physical capacity of the school facility, allowing for the phased scheduling of entrance, exit, and break times.”

According to the State Department of Education (SEDUC), the new rule is applicable to all school systems as of Wednesday, July 7. In the state school system, it will come into effect in August, after the winter vacation. For now, state schools in São Paulo must comply with a maximum of 35% students present, according to SEDUC.

Students in the state school system have regular classes until July 15, when they start their winter vacation. Return to school will occur on August 2.

The increase in the number of students in schools was a demand from private schools and parents’ associations, such as Escolas Abertas. With the percentage limit in force up to now, students must rotate to attend school and, in some cases, children only attend school once a week.

Higher education follows trade rule

This Wednesday’s decree also determines that higher education institutions will be able to reopen observing the same public access space occupation limitation applicable to the services sector. Currently, the services sector in São Paulo may receive up to 40% maximum occupancy and operate from 6 AM to 9 PM.

Under the former rule, universities and technical colleges could only accommodate up to 35% of students in the business resumption plan. In the current phase, they were prevented from reopening, with the exception of health-related courses.

With the new decree, all practical activities in universities and technical colleges are allowed with no percentage limit – not only those in the health area.

The decision was celebrated by private educational institutions that had been lobbying for the reopening. One of the bottlenecks for higher education in the pandemic has been the implementation of practical activities.

With restrictions in place until now, students in courses such as Engineering were not allowed to have practical work in colleges, which has delayed graduation and slowed down the flow of new students in institutions.