The head of the Ministry of Health of Panama (Minsa), Luis Francisco Sucre indicated that the reopening of the 100 schools will be done in areas where there are no infections of COVID-19 and these will occur after evaluating the situation with the person in charge of the Ministry of Education (Meduca), Maruja Gorday de Villalobos, in order not to affect children who are not having access to education through mobile devices or the media.

Classes in these 100 schools will be blended and will benefit about 14,360 students.

"We hold permanent meetings with Meduca, there is a team that sits with them all week. We personally meet with the Minister of Education constantly where we reassess the situation, it must be made clear that the situation in a pandemic is not always constant is fluctuating, therefore decisions can be varied. The reopening of the schools that the president, in the operations center together with Meduca, with Health and other institutions, has made the decision to open, such as the pilot plan of the first 100 schools is mostly in areas where there is no COVID-19, "Sucre said.

The minister added that in the event of a COVID-19 contagion or outbreak in these areas, the reopening of that school will be suspended and another area where there are no cases will proceed.

"The important thing here is that we cannot continue to affect the education of boys and children who do not have access to computers, the Internet and who are not conducting their education at least as the majority of the country's children are doing, that at least they are receiving classes through platforms, "added Sucre.

It should be noted that Meduca published in early May the list of 100 schools that are already certified for the start of blended classes on May 31.