“They should have kept the schools open.”
Eiður was 18 years old at the time of the interview and lives in Reykjavik. He graduated from lower secondary school and made the transition to upper secondary school during the pandemic years. His school made it compulsory for pupils to register online every morning at 08.00 but did nothing to improve or facilitate pupil interaction. This was a challenge and had a negative impact on his experience of upper secondary school. He feels he has missed out on getting to know his school peers. He believes that if he had been able to get to know them better, it would have been easier for him to learn.
Eiður is politically active and believes that the schools should not have been closed. However, he considers online learning a positive option that should continue to be offered in the future. It should be available for students who need it, or who do not thrive in school, as well as an option for assignments that require group work.