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Published Friday, February 5, 2021
The school year begins on Monday,
despite the pandemic
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Students throughout the country are getting ready to start the school year on Monday, following a hybrid class plan, where they meet in-person and virtually.
This plan has the goal of guaranteeing that students are safe amid the pandemic, following the sanitary guidelines approved by the Ministry of Health in December 2020.
This new system of admission to classes will be monitored and updated, depending on the development of the virus in the country. So, in case there is a high risk of contagion, students will go back to virtual lessons to avoid putting them at risk of getting infected.
This year, the professors will provide more inclusive support to the students to improve their learning level, which is the reason to consider that the return to face-to-face classes cannot be postponed, the Ministry of Education said in its statement.
“The gradual and safe return to the classroom is necessary, knowing that discontinuing of face-to-face classes has caused the loss of social interaction between students and their teachers, which could translate into socio-emotional difficulties that not only affect school performance but could also cause harm to children's mental health,” Melania Brenes, representative of the ministry said.
The school staff will be in charge of making alternate schedules for the students balancing between in-person and virtual lessons.
In January the ministry announced the guidelines for students to avoid getting infected with covid-19.
The hybrid goal is to ensure that the school year will be carried out under rigorous sanitary guidelines, Guiselle Cruz, Minister of Education said.
Among the main changes this year being enforced are that students must keep a social distance of 1.8 meters, constant hand-washing and mandatory use of a face mask.
If someone is detected or suspected of being infected with covid-19, the school must close until a deep cleaning of all the facilities is completed, according to the authorities.
Students are expected to alternate and attend in-person classes three days a week. The other two days will be virtual learning.
Most schools will receive only four hours of in-person lecture. In the case of technical high-schools, which develop more specialized activities, lessons at school will last up to six hours.
The principal, or director for those unfamiliar with the proper term in Costa Rica, of each school and high-school, will be responsible for coordinating schedules for each student. It is recommended that parents contact the school to obtain further information about in-person scheduling.
The re-entrance to in-person lessons will be gradual beginning the first two weeks of the school year by requiring older students to attend classes, while the rest will continue with virtual lessons.
The ministry has launched a campaign on its social media about the sanitary guidelines that will be applied in schools. The campaign can be found on the Ministry's YouTube channel.
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How are in-person classes considered risky for students during the pandemic? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com
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