Ljubljana - Children with special needs will return to classrooms today after nearly three months of remote schooling. After employees were tested for coronavirus, it is expected that the majority of these specialised schools open for in-class instruction.

The opening is in line with a decision by the Constitutional Court ordering that such primary schools open on 4 January as it weighed between the risk to public health of a reopening and the right to in-person education based on a petition by two parents.

Staff were tested yesterday, taking advantage of the wide availability of rapid testing at community health centres around the country. Education Ministry data shows 86% of the staff were tested, and quite a few were positive, which means not all schools will be able to start class in person.

At a special-needs school in Murska Sobota, for example, too many employees tested positive with rapid antigen tests. These tests will now be double-checked with PCR tests and if enough are negative classes might resume on Wednesday.

At the same time, many children who may be at a particularly high risk of infection will remain at home.

It remains unclear when other pupils will be able to return to classrooms. One possible date is 11 January for the first three grades of primary school, but the final decision is not expected before the next regular government session on Thursday.