The Hague
Excited children greeted their friends and weary parents got used to early starts again as schools in several European countries reopened after a nearly two-month coronavirus break.
Pupils toted their backpacks for the first time since March in France and the Netherlands as primary schools partially reopened, with strict measures in place to prevent a second wave of the pandemic.
As wider lockdown measures eased across the continent, schools also reopened their doors in Switzerland and the Balkans, while secondary schools in Greece were coming back to life.
“The children were really looking forward to coming back to school. They were jumping with joy when they saw their friends again, they were very happy,” 43-year-old Manon told AFP as she dropped off her three children at Willemspark primary school in The Hague.
“It’s good for them. We’ve been through a unique period… they liked the free time but of course they missed their friends a lot, and the structure that schools give them,” added the Dutch healthcare worker, who asked that her surname not be used.—AFP
