Masaryk University Rector Calls on Regional Hygiene Office to Revoke Ban on In-Person Teaching

In a letter, the Rector of Masaryk University (MU), Martin Bareš, called on the South Moravian Regional Hygiene Office (KHS JMK) to revoke the extraordinary measure issued on September 22nd that suspended in-person teaching at universities in the region. “According to the lawyers of the university, KHS JMK does not have the legal competence to issue such a comprehensive measure, and is therefore in conflict with the law,” said Masaryk University spokeswoman Tereza Fojtová today. Photo: KK / BD.

Brno, Sep 25 (BD) – “If KHS JMK does not take these reservations into account, we will be forced to go to court with a proposal to repeal this measure. However, I believe that the whole situation will be resolved on the basis of our notification,” wrote Bareš writes in a letter to the director of KHS JMK.

KHS JMK issued the measures based on the Public Health Protection Act, but according to lawyers, the Act sets clear conditions under which such comprehensive measures can be ordered, which have not been met. 

“The key condition is that it must be a ban or restriction of contact of groups of people suspected of infection with others. It must be a case where there is a specific suspicion in relation to specific persons. The provisions do not allow for the general closure of schools,” said Radim Polčák, the university’s Vice-Rector for Legislation.

In a letter to KHS JMK, the Rector Bareš emphasized that Masaryk University had adopted a number of well thought-out preventive measures aimed at minimizing the risk of infection and at the same time allowing students access to education.

Teaching at Masaryk University will begin on October 5th. As early as September 21st, it was decided that tuition would be primarily contactless in an online environment. In-person teaching was planned only for small groups of students in the first year, for whom it is most important to get directly acquainted with the environment and operation of the university.

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