Protesters in Italy urge safe reopening of schools

Around 200 demonstrators, including teachers and families with their children, gathered Saturday near the Education Ministry in Rome as well as in other Italian cities to demand the safe reopening of schools in September.

Playing percussion instruments and carrying signs reading "Let us go back to school," demonstrators protested not only to return to normal but also for more investment in the education system.

"(We cannot accept) hen house (crowded) classes, we cannot accept starting again in September with distance learning. We need more investments in schools," said Francesco Gori, a support teacher.

Schools in Italy have been closed since March 5 due to a nationwide coronavirus lockdown and are still awaiting instructions on how to reopen in September.

Schools have continued teaching with online lessons during the lockdown, but with difficulties; many teachers have found it challenging to adapt, and some families have not had the resources to join the online classes - particularly children with disabilities who need the constant help of a support teacher.

The protesters were on Saturday also calling for greater investment in the education sector and the hiring of more teachers so that classes from September can be smaller and safer.

Italy on Saturday registered 669 new cases of COVID-19, two-thirds of them in the northern region of Lombardy, which has been the hardest-hit since the outbreak began.

Figures from the most recent 24-hour period since Friday evening saw 119 deaths registered.

Officially, Italy has 32,735 deaths from COVID-19.