For the Sierra and Amazon it will be on February 7, and for the Coast and Galapagos on May 3. Minister María Brown said that the dates may be revised.
The Minister of Education, María Brown, announced that the schedule for returning to face-to-face classes with 100% capacity remains unchanged. In the Sierra and Amazon region it will be on February 7, for the beginning of the second half of the 2021-2022 cycle; while in the Coast and Galapagos it will be on May 3, when the 2022-2023 school year begins.
Brown broke the news this January 3, through a press conference in which he also reported that, according to the latest resolution of the national Emergency Operations Committee (COE), work in educational institutions will continue to be face-to-face.
Likewise, the Secretary of State mentioned that the academic institutions that currently have approved the Institutional Plan for Educational Continuity (PICE), and already operate with partial presence, from January 10 will have to expand so that more degrees or courses return to classes physically.
On the other hand, in entities that do not have the minimum required space, of 2.25 square meters per person, to comply with the necessary social distancing, two work groups may be established, with a minimum attendance time of three hours daily, five days a week.
“When there are classrooms where a greater number of students are assigned than could be present, with the 2.25 square meters approved, the day may be divided into two, so that all students who have the approval to attend in person can do it, ”Brown explained.
Until December 30 there were 1,294,936 students attending the classrooms, in 11,929 institutions that have approved the PISE (7,746 are rural and 4,183 are urban); that is, 79% of the academic centers in the country.
With regard to cases of COVID-19, the minister affirmed that so far there are no community infections that start within educational institutions. That until December 30, 42 active cases of students were reported, which is a rate of 0.011%, and another 112 have already been recovered. In addition, there are 87 active cases in teachers and 115 recovered.
“In a joint analysis with the Ministry of Public Health, we have seen it pertinent that presence continues, since it reduces other risks to health and especially to the physical integrity and mental health of students throughout the national educational system. And, for this reason, it is prioritized that this service, that this human right, such as education, continues its process of returning to 100% face-to-face ”, said the official.
Additionally, he clarified that the cantonal COEs do not have the power to suspend classes in their localities; They can only make recommendations or requests to the national COE.
“Call on families to prioritize education. If we take the liberty of having activities outside our homes, that involve us and that can put our health at risk, that are leisure and fun activities, that are not essential activities, we do not put at risk an activity that does It is essential, a process that is fundamental for the development of our children, such as education. Therefore, always call them to prioritize education, to put the best interests of their children first, so that they can attend classes in person, “he said.
In specialized education institutions, the situation of each student and the conditions associated with their disability are analyzed. If there are aggravating conditions and the physical return to the classroom is not medically recommended, distance education is continued. However, the minister detailed, there are disabilities that do not represent an aggravating factor for COVID-19; therefore, in these cases, it is urged that the teaching be face-to-face.
For families who do not wish to send their children to classrooms, two centers will be set up to provide virtual education. In the Sierra and Amazonia regime, it will be the Arupos educational institution; for the Coast and Galapagos it will be the Guayacanes establishment.
Student representatives may request transfer to any of these entities, through the ordinary enrollment system.
The decision of the Ministry of Education to maintain the return schedule with full capacity may be reviewed in the following weeks, in accordance with the evolution of COVID-19 in the country, Brown clarified. (I)
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