11/02/2020 12:01
Clarín.com
Society
Updated 11/02/2020 12:01
The crossings between the national government and the City of Buenos Aires, in the midst of the management of the coronavirus pandemic, added a new chapter, this time due to the start of classes in person in 2021. And the controversy was also added to the Buenos Aires governor, Axel Kicillof.
With the curve in sharp decline, the Buenos Aires Minister of Education, Soledad Acuña, was encouraged to mark February 17 as a tentative date for the children to return to the classrooms, but her national counterpart, Nicolás Trotta, replied that the return will be subject to to the coronavirus pandemic.
Even Kicillof was cautious and said that the return operation is "a mess."
Although last week they had already crossed statements and counterpoints in a public way, the tension escalated in the last hours after Acuña set a date for the school year, two weeks ahead of schedule and "one hundred percent" in person.
"Our intention is to be able to finish on the date originally planned, in mid-December, and
start 2021 early on February 17.
What it will require is that the teachers come back sooner. We are trying to put together all the chess." , Slipped Acuña on Sunday, in dialogue with
FM Milenium
.
His announcement did not go down well with the Government, in the run-up to a new meeting in the Federal Council of Education, next Wednesday, to discuss the calendar.
Therefore, on Monday morning, the one who spoke was the national minister, who insisted that the return to classes in person will not respond to "wishes or expectations", but to the "epidemiological reality" of each district .
Soledad Acuña announced the face-to-face return on February 17 and sparked controversy.
"We all have expectations of having a massive return to classes in March, but that is not a matter of desire, but rather of what the epidemiological reality will allow us to unfold," said the official on
El Uncover Radio
.
Words more, words less, Trotta wanted to put a brake on the Buenos Aires initiative.
"We will try to find a common position for the 24 jurisdictions, in a summer that has to be one of enormous commitment to recover learning, accompany the children who had less connection with the school and it also
has to be a moment of respite and rest for teachers
as well as for families, "he emphasized.
Days ago, Trotta had considered a non-compulsory accompaniment system in January and February for the boys who could not reach the educational goals for the year, but he was adamant about returning from classes.
Trotta clarified that
the calendar will be discussed on Wednesday within the framework of the Federal Council of Education
and spoke of "consensus" among the districts: "We are going to discuss in the area where we consider that we must discuss, which is the Federal Council, to achieve a policy of consensus with the 24 jurisdictions ".
Trotta responded to Acuña and asked to discuss the matter in the Federal Council.
Acuña picked up the glove and pointed out this Monday that "making this a matter of political dispute does not make sense."
In any case, he confirmed his position: "
We want the return to be 100% face-to-face
. In the event that we cannot return due to an epidemiological issue, we will have a hybrid scheme with spaces for face-to-face and planned virtuality. We are working so that on February 17 boys are at school in person, "said the Buenos Aires official on radio
Miter
.
For Kicillof, "it's a mess"
The one who also joined the controversy was Axel Kicillof, who agreed with the position of Nación, advocated returning when conditions allow it and said that "operationally it is a mess."
"We want to go back to classes, but in conditions that the boys are not infected," said Kicillof, interviewed on
C5N
.
And he continued: "Nowhere in the world is there a return to presence and voila. It is with open windows, chinstraps, they take turns ...
operationally, it is a mess
."
"
Now, it can't be done,
" Kicillof insisted, and asked not to promote "solutions that create new problems."
This is not the first counterpoint between Nation and City with respect to back to school.
In August, when the Buenos Aires government was considering the possibility of returning to classes in open places, even squares, it had Trotta's strong refusal, for which the return only became possible in October, with strict protocols and small groups.
The first to return were the boys in the last year of each cycle, that is, those in the seventh grade in first year and those in the fifth year of secondary school, after which other courses were also added.
In all cases, it was carried out with strict measures, social distancing, chinstraps and in groups of up to six students.
JPE
Look also
Without an agreement with the national government, the City already has a date for the return of classes in 2021
Missions: how will the end of classes be and what will happen to those who do not pass
