The City presented its back-to-school plan: staggered return, excepted risk teachers, and testing centers

01/21/2021 8:10 AM

• Clarín.com

• Cities

Updated 01/21/2021 8:10 AM

The Porteño head of 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 the boys 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

staggered

.

On February 17, the

kindergartens, the initial level and the first cycle of Primary

(first, second and third grade) and the first cycle of

Secondary

(first and second year)

begin their school

year;

On February 22, the rest of

Primary will

begin in schools

and on March 1, the remaining years of

Secondary

level will be added to the presence

.

The proposal is for both

state

and

private

management education

.

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, "returning to the classroom is possible by

complying with the protocols

and respecting the safety and hygiene conditions."

Faced with the dynamics of the pandemic, according to the Porteño government,

all possible scenarios

are planned

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 complement to education in the classroom.

As happened in October, the City assured that the

cleaning kit

, a care guide

will be delivered to all schools

, and

public school

teachers

will also receive

surgical masks

.

"The vast majority of schools are in a position to receive boys and girls complying with the protocols and security measures. And those that cannot comply with these conditions must present an

alternative proposal for the organization of the school day

that they have. 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, a

contingency plan

is worked on

.

Regarding the safety of the teaching staff, they reported that "an analysis was made of the teaching universe of risk and the feasibility of replacement" and they assured that "those teachers who belong to risk groups are exempted from returning to the 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 have

two testing centers in the City for teachers

, from February 8, so that they can start classes safely.

Get to school

In addition, the City established

priority

in

public transportation

for

students and teachers

when entering and leaving 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 was the case, only seated boys will be admitted, wearing

masks

and with

external

ventilation

.

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 enabled

and access the protocol designed for buses, where all these measures are detailed.

Facing the return of classes, the Buenos Aires government agreed with 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 corridors of the network 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.

The

Ecobici system

will remain free from Monday to Friday and can be used by secondary 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 will

be made

to widen the sidewalks

and to comply with

social distancing

.

In addition, the Ministry of Security and Justice will resume the "Safe Trails" plan to accompany those who travel on foot. 

Look also

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Coronavirus in Argentina: Why did the contagion curve begin to fall in the City and Province?