The Democratic Coalition (DK), Jobbik, LMP, Momentum, the Socialists and Párbeszéd said that the cabinet decision on reopening would threaten several hundred thousand children attending kindergarten and school, as well as parents and teachers during the third and most dangerous wave of the coronavirus epidemic.

Reopening kindergartens and schools before teachers are fully protected will greatly increase the risk of the virus spreading and parents who have not been vaccinated yet will be in increased danger, the statement added.

They criticised a proposal by state secretary for education Zoltán Maruzsa who said that concerned parents could ask for a permission from their children’s headmasters to continue home schooling.

The opposition parties said this way Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was transferring responsibility to teachers and parents.

Considering the high number of infections and deaths, the government should make a decision to maintain online education, the parties said.