Secondary schools can open fully from May 31 and pupils will no longer have to social distance from each other, education minister Arie Slob said on Saturday, following consultation with government healthcare experts.

Face masks, however, will remain compulsory in school buildings apart from during actual lessons.

Not all schools will open a week on Monday because some need more time prepare but from June 7, all schools must be up to speed, Slob said. ‘We want pupils to have at least six weeks back at school before the summer break,’ Slob said. The school holidays begin in the northern region on July 10.

The government’s Outbreak Management Team says reopening schools fully is a responsible decision. By the end of next week, all schools will also have sufficient self tests for pupils and teachers, and this should be done twice a week, at home, the OMT said.

At the moment, schools are partly open although pupils in their exam year are having all their lessons at school.

The CNV-affiliated teaching union had argued that given many teachers have not yet been vaccinated, schools should not open fully until after the summer break.

The general teaching union Aob, however, said it welcomed the government’s decision.