Various educational unions of the Canary Islands have shown their rejection and bewilderment at the possible opening of schools from the end of May for "reinforcement activities" and to "guarantee that children under 6 years of age can attend the centers in case both parents have to work in person", according to the announcement by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, who stated that they may also open for the celebration of the EBAU tests.
"The function of the centers is educational, not welfare," they point out from the Independent Trade Union and Civil Servants (CSIF), from where they consider that "if the administration intends to impose the return to the classrooms on teachers", "special measures" must be taken.
"The purpose of educational centers is not the reconciliation of work and personal life, although they are an important conciliatory element. Taking only this approach into account is erroneous and unfair for education workers", they point out from UGT Canarias, from where they believe that "it should be companies and Public Administrations that guarantee reconciliation measures to all workers".
Thus, this union, which already stated that "the activities that were designed for the month of July, if any, should be carried out by personnel outside the centers", affirms that it reiterates its position "if they are the ones to which the Government has referred to carry out in the opening in May in the centers".
"The proposals announced generate more doubts than certainties and we are still waiting for them to be detailed", it is added from UGT, from where they also ask "what is the proposal" for the workers of the nursery schools, "many of them covered by ERTEs, when not directly dismissed".
Difficulties in combining face-to-face and distance learning
ANPE Canarias has expressed itself in the same sense, defending "the educational and not only welfare and recreational nature of education", also pointing out the "difficulty" with respect to children under six years of age "to maintain the security and hygiene measures that will be set by the health authorities".
In addition, it warns that "if there is a return of teachers to the classrooms in phase 1, there will be difficulties in combining face-to-face and distance learning, since there is a deficit of telematic means in the centers".
This trade union organization has thus demanded that the Ministry of Education and the Council clarify the "confusion" and "bewilderment" generated. And it is that, they consider that "it would only make sense to resume face-to-face classes before the end of June in the courses that lead to a qualification, such as 4th year of ESO, 2nd year of Bachillerato and Vocational Training, but only if the health authorities determine that it can be done without risks and the educational administrations guarantee that all hygiene measures are met to avoid contagion of the virus".
Mass tests and other security and hygiene measures they demand
The three unions agree in demanding security and hygiene measures in the face of the return to the classrooms, requesting the performance of diagnostic tests of PCR or "massive tests" to workers and students of the educational centers. Likewise, they also request that a disinfection of the educational centers be carried out, that the ratios of the classrooms and spaces be reduced, and that masks, disinfectant gels and gloves be provided.
In the case of UGT, it is also requested that action protocols be established with concrete measures on distancing, waste disposal and what to do in case of students or workers with symptoms.
Similarly, it demands an individualized treatment in the face of the face-to-face activity of people "especially sensitive" such as diabetics, with cardiovascular, liver, kidney or chronic lung diseases, hypertension, immunodeficiency, cancer in the active treatment phase, pregnancies or people over 60".
In this sense, CSIF directly demands the exclusion of risk personnel from attending the centers. Regarding the ratios per classroom, this union specifies that they be 12 people, also demanding staggered entrances and exits, among other measures.
A Preventive Plan for the return in September
"The return must be in September and it has to be planned now with full security guarantees, avoiding improvisation", it is insisted from the CSIF, from where a preventive Plan for the return to the classrooms and common actions in all the Communities is demanded.
In this regard, and with a view to September, this union demands to negotiate a Plan for returning to work of an organizational and preventive nature of mandatory compliance and a Reinforcement Plan for the 2020-2021 academic year. "In addition, we must analyze the new needs of students and teachers and negotiate what this means in terms of ratios, support and splits", adds CSIF, which points out that "the message cannot be given that it will be the teachers, once again, who will have to undertake this reconstruction without more support than their work, which continues to increase without any compensation".
