The new Minister of Education of the Government of the Canary Islands, Manuela Armas, announced this Wednesday that the protocol that will define the return to the classroom will be outlined next week and with face-to-face classes as a "fundamental" idea.
In an appearance before the Education committee in Parliament, she commented that education inspectors are visiting the centers to see "firsthand" the spaces and make a "diagnosis" of the needs in order to see what works must be undertaken or if it is necessary to double hours.
Armas has pointed out that there will be "general guidelines" from the Ministry although also "margin of autonomy" to each center, because they are the ones who "know" the students and the possibilities of the facilities.
Thus, she has stressed that attendance "is essential", especially in the earliest ages and to help in work and family conciliation and in case of double hours in the afternoons, "it would be the baccalaureates", but only if necessary. "We must promote morning hours," she added.
The counselor has indicated that in all the centers "simulations" of classrooms with 15 or 20 students are being made and it is studied if in Secondary the calls 'bubble units' are not maintained, which in principle are going to be promoted in Infant and Primary.
In addition, she commented that "after five months outside" of the centers, this course will be "more important the initial evaluation that teachers make about the level of students to analyze if it is necessary to adapt the academic curriculum to the needs of each student or do reinforcement classes. "And if we have to dedicate the first two months to recover it, it will be done, each center will see it," she warned.
Regarding the cleaning and disinfection of schools and institutes, she said that up to Primary it is the responsibility of the municipalities and next week, in a meeting with the Fecam, it will be addressed how to do it following the recommendations of the health authorities.
Armas has assumed that expenses will increase because probably there will have to be two daily cleaning days but she also understands that each center has its characteristics, so we will have to wait for the diagnostic phase to end.
She has assumed that all public administrations are "very bad" of funds, including the Ministry itself, so it will be debated with the Fecam if costs can be "flexibilized". "We are going to see how we can lend a hand," she stressed.
