Public schools reopen on Monday, 20 September to in-person learning all around the country. In the protocol for the reopening, the Ministry of Education has set a distance of 1.5 meter between each desk and prevalence to well-ventilated classrooms. Classrooms that use air-conditioning, must naturally ventilate the rooms several times a day, and daily sanitizing of the classrooms is required before and after each session.
The Ministry of Education has organized a symbolic back-to-school event to take place at the General Antonio Duvergé School, in the Honduras sector of the capital city.
More than 2.8 million public school students are enrolled in kindergarten, elementary and secondary schools. In 2020, the school year was limited to remote learning. Private schools had started earlier.
Actually, Education Minister Roberto Furcal was against children returning to school until the positivity was 5%. Furcal had dedicated himself to create TV, radio and online programming and investments in actually refurbishing the schools to reopen were delayed. Many schools have yet to complete repairs.
But Vice President Raquel Peña, who heads the Health Cabinet, overruled the decision of the Ministry of Education and authorized that private schools resume and that public schools in areas with low positivity rates follow starting in April 2021. For the past two months, the Covid-19 positivity has kept below 10%. In most municipalities, it is well under 5%. The situation has continued despite the circulation of the Delta variant in the country.
The Ministry of Education (Minerd) will begin the 2021-2022 school year, in person, with an enrollment of more than 2.8 million students in kindergarten, primary and secondary schools.
Last year, teaching was virtual to avoid the spread of covid-19.
The Procurement Agency overturned for irregularities several batches of a a major tender to purchase electronic devices. The selection of almost 20,000 in teachers, principals and psychologists needed for the school year has been marred by technological problems, lack of organization and mass failing of teachers.
The past two weeks have been of intense activity as parents scrambled to find the funds to prepare their children for the return to classes. Likewise, as of Monday, 20 September 2021, traffic is expected to worsen in the capital city as parents and children begin the commute to school.
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20 September 2021