CAMAGÜEY.-To transform and to grow up goes beyond the planning that we make when we are little or each New Year’s Eve. The life sometimes accelerates the changes and it forces us to use in a quicker way than normal our capacity to readapt. The 2020 take care of showing that, however, like the president Díaz-Canel has just ratified before the National Assembly, those of this earth are of the best when it comes to overcome and to find solutions.

As the whole planet, Cuba suffers the consequences of COVID-19. Wide and varied have been the alternatives to get back to normality the closer to the one we are accustomed to have before. Although the effort is perceived in all the sectors, some of them due its importance monopolize the looks. Such as is the case of Education.

The renewal of the course in September was a decision that, questioned or not, it demonstrated that the infection can be avoided without stopping the cycle of studies. And although not only depends on how disciplined we are when following the hygienic measures, the guarantee of resources has not presented problems.

A million 300 000 pesos added the State to the budget of Education in the county for the confrontation to the pandemic. Since of the 667 educational facilities, all did not had the sanitary conditions that the epidemic situation demanded, a great part of the money was dedicated to that purpose. Although it was not possible the assembly of new sinks in all the centers, they installed 111, and they recovered near 400 that didn't work. In turn the Company of Materials of the Construction manufactured 250 canoes or sinks to increase the capacities for hands washing and the supply of water was prioritized by pipes to 57 schools.

The 115 200 children that restarted in September had guaranteed the hypochlorite solution in the entrance of bathrooms and as well in the entrance of classrooms, they demanded them the appropriate use of the facemask and the physical distancing, even when it was necessary to adapt local inside the same center or in others nearby. For the period that began on November 2nd these measures are been kept.

In an encounter with Clay Pérez Jiménez, provincial subdirector of Education, we knew that neither they stopped the repairs nor the maintenance to the institutions with problems in carpentry, raincoats, etc. Yes, the mayor effort was to concentrate on COVID-19, but the Ministry, as it was possible, didn't leave to a side the “health” in the schools.

Essential has also been the effort of the teachers in the adjustment of the study plans, the search of new alternatives to recover classes and to summarize contents. Their indispensable role has had to renovate in six months and to combine more than ever with the parents.

It was recognized the past October 6 by the minister of the sector, Ena Elsa Velázquez Cobiella, during its presentation in 27th Ibero-American Conference of Secretaries of Education in virtual format. “To change and to transform the school is their responsibility and like it’s usual they have made it well again”.

In a general way the family has understood the new measures and the reason of the restrictions. Nevertheless, there are those that still discuss when you forbid them the entrance to the school areas or those that bring to school their little ones without putting on the mask. Think up, the role model teaches and the respect to the measures begins at home. Trust, in Camagüey there is no evidence that the educational institutions have served as scenario for possible virus infections.

After the course 2020-21 started out the families had time of rectifying. With them, it is counted to assure the individual study, to give continuity to the activities developed in the centers and to contribute to the effort of Education to preserve the health.

This thing that begins will be an atypical, difficult stage. The students will have two months less of classes, the teachers will load a bigger demand as for their preparation and at home we will have to help and to demand twice as much. The team work demonstrated to be the best solution.

COVID-19 has provoked the biggest pause in the education known so far, but it has also been witness of the good intentions of a sector that overcomes another time to the challenges of the life.

Translated by Mariam Heredia (Student)

Review by Linet Acuña Quilez