Masks will be mandatory for all pupils in Spain aged six and older when schools reopen next month.
The measure will be adopted by the country’s 17 regions, which manage education autonomously, as part of nationwide efforts to stem the spread of coronavirus.
It is part of a series of standardised guidelines agreed in a meeting with central authorities. Previously, masks were only required for pupils aged 12 and above by some Spanish regions.
Pupils will receive a daily body temperature check, they must wash their hands at least five times per day, and classrooms will need frequent ventilation, the government said.
“Bubble-classrooms”, where pupils only socialise with a limited number of peers, will be key to identifying contacts. That allows localised quarantines if there is a positive test, rather than the closure of entire schools.
Parent and teachers have expressed concern about schools reopening amid new waves of outbreaks since the country emerged from a strict lockdown.
