QCOSTARICA – On Monday, February 8, the 2021 school year began. The Ministerio de Education Publica (MEP) – summoned 1.2 million students of all grades to return to the classroom, after classes were suspended in 2020, 11 months ago, when the pandemic was just beginning.
The opening ceremony was held at the Purral Technical Professional College (CTP) in Goicoechea, in the company of Costa Rica President Carlos Alvarado, carried out under strict sanitary measures, in order to prevent further COVID-19 infections.
This will be the great challenge for the student and administrative population in 2021, to continue with the lessons in the midst of the pandemic. In addition, the face-to-face modality will be mixed with distance education
The interim Minister of Education, Melania Brenes, said that “we will come out with a new way of teaching and learning.”
On Friday, Brenes reported a shortage of over 800 teachers to resume the classes; however, affecting thousands of students.
“The return to in-person classes is a national decision, a commitment in which all of us must join our efforts. It is challenging but we are confident that the country will come out ahead,” Brenes stressed.
In 2020, the MEP reported that 324,000 students had no access to the Internet. This year, around 200,000 students will be able to connect to virtual classes through state-sponsored chips.
There are 750 educational centers with health restriction orders, 80 of which will maintain distance learning dynamics. Over 1,130 children will receive preschool education in 63 centers, 33 of which are located in the capital San Jose.
As of Monday morning, Costa Rica had accumulated 197,435 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 2,692 related deaths.
