Only 60% of parents receive text messages on their cell phones. Amid the quarantine and the suspension of school, Fe y Alegría will offer radio broadcasts and telephone calls, to stay in touch with the students.
Caracas. The Fe y Alegría School Program plans a strategy to reach its students remotely. They will offer radio broadcasts, tutorials, phone calls, email. However, program director Noelbis Aguilar expressed they do everything possible so that all children and teens receive the educational content.
“We are not sure if the information reaches 100% of the parents. We are doing everything so that the directors of the 176 schools can have the information, ”she said.
She indicated that almost 60% of parents and guardians have a cell phone that only receives text messages. The rest do have access to emails and computers. According to the Venezuelan Observatory of Public Services, 63% of Venezuelans do not have Internet at home.
Fe y Alegría serves more than 97,000 children and teenagers, who should end the second school term on March 24. Amid the quarantine and the pursuit of activities at a distance, Aguilar said: “Quality, effectiveness, is a subject to reflect on.” She thinks we must remain vigilant so that we continue with the educational project. Similarly, she assured it is time to be creative to guarantee this right.
After the arrival of COVID-19 in the country – there have been 33 confirmed cases since March 13- Nicolás Maduro decided to suspend educational activities at all levels. Then seven regions were quarantined and this Tuesday it extended to the rest of the country.
Fe y Alegría‘s strategies include self-evaluation and the creation of portfolios with the students’ assignments. Also, they will make adjustments to the program that the Ministry of Education prepared to guide the school sector during the quarantine. The program was presented to the institutions through a video conference on March 16.
The School Program is devising a way for parents to take the students’ assignments to each school to be graded by the teachers, following the rules for prevention and protection against the new coronavirus.
Aguilar explained that the school community is cooperating with teachers to make two or three-day shifts. They will begin to distribute the educational material to the students on Wednesday.
Since March 16, Channel 8 broadcasts Cada Familia, Una Escuela, where pedagogical orientations and five minutes classes are offered to parents, teachers, and students.
Teachers in public schools take part in WhatsApp groups with parents. They also send content electronically. Amid the precariousness and the constant failures in the Internet service, it will be necessary to review under what conditions the 2019-2020 school year will continue.
