The Minister of Education of Panama, Maruja Gorday de Villalobos said that the decision to postpone the start of blended classes in 22 schools was made based on an observation by the Ministry of Health (Minsa) about the rise in covid-19 infections.

" It is an official statement from the Government, from the Ministry of Education agreed with the Health authorities, in which we are recommended and the decision is made as a team to temporarily postpone the start of blended classes in the province of Panama, which includes schools of Central Panama, San Miguelito, North, East and West Panama, due to the observation of a rise in the last weeks of covid ”, said Minister Maruja Gorday de Villalobos during a thanksgiving mass to commemorate Black Ethnicity Day.

He stressed that the accompaniment activities such as tutorials and the start of blended classes this May 31 in 78 schools with low enrollment are maintained.

Maruja Gorday de Villalobos assured that the decision aims to protect the educational community.

According to Minister Maruja Gorday de Villalobos, they do not have reports of covid-19 cases in the approximately 600 educational centers that are providing tutoring and accompaniment, however they maintain an alert and surveillance system.

Here are the 22 educational centers that will not start blended classes:

Academia Interamericana de Panamá (Juan Díaz).
Juan E. Jiménez (24 de Diciembre).
Marcia Cañellas, Metropolitan School of Panama y Juan Arturo Martinelli (Pedregal).
Instituto Albert Einstein (San Francisco).
Isaac Rabin y Kings College Panama (Ancón).
C.E.B.G. El Trencito del Saber ABC (Pacora)-
C.E.B.G. San Juan de Pequeni.
C.E.B.G. Victoriano Lorenzo.
Emberá 2.60.
La Tranquilla.
Peña Blanca.
Quebrada Ancha.
San Juan Pequini.
Mono Congo (Chilibre).
Liceo Francés (Veracruz).
Academia Bilingue de San Antonio.
Academia Bilingue de Panamá.
International School of Panama (Rufina Alfaro).
Escuela Río Tigre Abajo.

Vaccination against covid-19 for teachers and administrative staff will continue as a protection mechanism, Meduca said.

Meduca had authorized the start of blended classes in 100 schools as of May 31.

Entrepreneurs ask for voluntary return to blended classes

The Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP) criticized the decision of the Meduca to postpone the blended classes in these schools, and requested the voluntary return to both official and private educational centers, which have the infrastructure that allows the adoption of biosafety measures.

The union said that postponing the start of blended classes in these schools hours prior to the scheduled time is to ignore the work and preparation of protocols.

" All this has to happen within the framework of trust, with authorities that make timely and coherent decisions. The union insists that priorities be established. You cannot live in the midst of uncertainty with measures that do not locate the star of the education in the place it deserves, "said the CCIAP in its Sunday statement La Cámara Opina.

The CCIAP indicated that currently most of the daily activities are open, " and the most important of all, education, is still closed under a supposed protection that has not even been verified ."