The Ministry of Education (MINERD) has set 2 November 2020 as the kickoff date for the 2020-2021 school year. Just how classes this year will go is still somewhat fuzzy at best. However, the government has lined up over 150 radio stations and 100 local TV channels for the beginning of the classes. This is a boom for the radio stations and TV channels because the government is paying for the time.
The Ministry of Education is turning to TV and radio for the massive undertaking of distance learning. When classes closed down in mid-March at the start of the lockdown for Covid-19, the educational community got a taste of what could be the new normal for 2020. But with TV and radio networks integrated, the Ministry of Education is promising a totally new experience for children, parents and teachers.
The Ministry of Education has contracted for three hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon. The cable channels will retransmit classes for 24 hours.
In a country where poverty is ever-present, electricity is iffy, technology beyond a cell phone is scarce indeed and Internet access is quite limited, the objective of the virtual classroom for all, although aspirational, is just not feasible at this time.
However, students with access to computers and the internet can receive their classes in this manner with the same teachers and materials. This is happening with many private schools.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education says it is setting up help desks, call centers, Whatsapp sites and educational communities to help with the process.
Read more in Spanish:
Listin Diario
El Nacional
Hoy
25 October 2020