The head of the Porteño government, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta officially ratified this Wednesday what he anticipated weeks ago: face-to-face classes in the City begin on February 17.
“Today the health situation of the City allows us to project the start of classes for February 17, our goal that all children go to school, with the greatest possible presence,” said Rodríguez Larreta.
Through a press conference he announced that the return to the classroom will be Stepwise. On February 17, the school year begins kindergartens, the initial level and the first cycle of Primary (first, second and third grade) and first cycle of High school (first and second year); On February 22, the rest of the Primary and on March 1 the remaining years of the level will be added to the presence Secondary. The proposal is both for management education state as well as the private.
According to Larreta, the planned school calendar adds two additional weeks of classes with the aim of giving students more time to learn the contents that they could not achieve the previous year and will allow teachers to know the starting point of each student.
For the City, “the return to the classroom is possible complying with the protocols and respecting the safety and hygiene conditions “.
Faced with the dynamics of the pandemic, according to the Porteño government, they are planned all possible scenarios to react quickly and in an orderly manner in case the epidemiological situation worsens. But the central thing for the Government is that presence has to be the rule and virtuality, the exception and a supplement to classroom education.
As it happened in October, from the City they assured that it will be delivered in all schools the cleaning kit, a care guide and the teachers of public schools will also receive surgical chinstraps.
“The vast majority of schools are in a position to receive boys and girls complying with the protocols and security measures. And those who cannot comply with these conditions must present a alternative proposal for the organization of the school day that has at least 4 hours of face-to-face classes “, anticipated from the city government.
Faced with suspected and / or confirmed cases of coronavirus within a school, work is done on a contingency plan.
Regarding the safety of the teaching staff, they reported that “an analysis was made of the teaching risk universe and the feasibility of replacement” and they assured that “those teachers who belong to risk groups are exempted from returning to presence.” The same will happen with those boys and girls who belong to risk groups or live with people who require special care.
And since health cannot be exempted in this pandemic scenario, the City will provide two test centers in the City for teachers, from February 8, so that they can start classes without risk.
Get to school
In addition, the City ordered priority at public transport for students and teachers at the time of entry and exit to schools.
“There will be posters in the main stops and waiting spaces for public transport in the City and the collaboration of all will be appealed, as a basic consensus to achieve a cultural change. In addition, we are working together with the National and Provincial Governments to increase the offer of groups, mainly during school hours “, they added.
For children who go to school in school transport, “hygiene and prevention measures will be reinforced, drivers will be separated by a plastic divider, or maintaining a safety distance of at least 2 meters” .
As already happened, only seated boys will be admitted, using mask and with ventilation Exterior. It is recommended that trips always be made with the windows open, to promote natural ventilation.
On the website www.buenosaires.gob.ar/movilidad you can verify which are the vehicles and drivers of school transport authorized and access the protocol designed for micros, where all these measures are detailed.
Facing the return of classes, the Buenos Aires government agreed with the Banco Ciudad to expand the facilities to access a bicycle with plans of up to 36 installments without interest during February and March.
In addition, the presence of Traffic Agents in the main network corridors will be reinforced to guarantee safe trips by bike. “It is also necessary, because during 2020 bicycle trips grew up to 114% in different intersections of the City and in the Corrientes and Córdoba cycle paths the number of female cyclists tripled”, they reported.
He Ecobici system it will remain free from Monday to Friday and can be used by high school students over 16 years of age, and teachers.
On the other hand, the City is conducting a survey of the busiest school buildings to incorporate bicycle racks and that students and teachers have a safe place to leave their bikes.
For those who arrive on foot, to avoid crowds at the doors of the schools, partial roadblocks to widen sidewalks and be able to comply with the social distancing.
In addition, the Ministry of Security and Justice will resume the “Safe Trails” plan to accompany those who travel on foot.
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