ATHENS – Taking a chance it won’t further spread COVID-19, Greece’s New Democracy will allow high school seniors to return to class April 12, but students in other grades will have to wait another month.

Grades other than seniors won’t resume until after Easter, which comes on May 2, school vacations generally lasting another week, which means they won’t be back in class – conditions warranting – until May 9.

Education Ministry officials said the school year may then have to be extended into the summer to make up for lost classes and remote learning although many schools aren’t air-conditioned.

Education Minister Niki Kerameus told ANT1 TV that, “We have a recommendation from the experts for the reopening of high schools. We are continuously examining with the experts the reopening of the other levels.”

That was in reference to the government’s advisory board of doctors and scientists, some of whom warned it wasn’t safe to open schools for students with the pandemic still raging and record numbers of cases reported.

Asked whether other classes are likely to open before Easter, she responded: “Before Easter, no. The reopening of high schools has started, we are taking it step by step. We have two weeks left until the Easter holidays.”