Schools in Riohacha suspend classes due to lack of water and PAE - Other Cities - Colombia

A call to the mayor of Riohacha to improve the sanitary and infrastructure conditions of several institutions and educational centers in the District was made by the Association of Education Workers in La Guajira, Asodegua.

With this request they supported the decision to cease activities in several institutions and educational centers in the urban and rural areas of the District.

It is not fair that the Ministry of Education has been here for four years and today we see this panorama that is the product of negligence

Asodegua denounced that the breaches by the Mayor’s Office range from the implementation of the School Feeding Program (PAE) and school transportation, to the hiring of personnel for general services, the permanent water supply, the hiring of teachers and the repair of educational infrastructure.

(See: Student drowned trying to cross a stream to go to school)

“It is not fair that the Ministry of Education has been here for four years and today we see this scenario that is the product of the negligence they had because they did not focus it,” says Sildana Deluque, president of Asodegua.

One of the institutions whose infrastructure is in poor condition is El Chonkay, at its headquarters No. 3 Remedios Morales de Guao. There one of the walls that supports the access gate is cracked and is at risk of falling.

Likewise, there are rooms that are caves for bats, pigeons and rats, taking advantage of the lack of some ceiling tiles. This has generated the spread of nauseating odors and other risks for the community.

Asodegua asked the Secretaries of Education and Health to close the affected classrooms, since the situation has caused several parents to withdraw their children.

Another of the affected sites in El Chonkay is No. 2, Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada. There the doors of the bathrooms are about to fall and the water service does not arrive.

Management’s response

Regarding these complaints, the Secretary of District Education, Jesús Herrera, confirmed that the general services contract has already been awarded and for next week the awarding of School Transportation and the PAE, respectively, will be carried out.

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Herrera assures that the delays are not due to poor planning, but to problems with the Mayor’s financial software, which did not allow the issuance of availability certificates.

To gain time, the PAE team of the Secretariat began the enlistment stage, carrying out verification activities of each one of the restaurants and school kitchens.

“To see what conditions they are in and what they need, in order to be able to provide the service in the shortest time possible,” said Herrera.

Regarding the lack of water, he pointed out that the problem is registered in eight educational institutions, for which a meeting was scheduled with the operating company of the aqueduct service, the competent areas and the members of the union to make decisions and resolve.

Finally, the official indicated that these days an agreement is being negotiated with Findeter for the improvement of school infrastructure, which should house some 60 educational venues of Riohacha.

ELIANA MEJIA
Special for WEATHER
RIOHACHA

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In Cali they protest against paralysis of works in public schools - Cali - Colombia

Of the 25 schools that the Educational Infrastructure Financing Fund (FFIE) announced it was going to build in Cali and Buenaventura, only three were completed. Yesterday, the educational communities of two of those schools protested to ask what happened to the works?

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One of the schools is the Cristóbal Colón Educational Institution (IE), located in the Mariano Ramos neighborhood, east of Cali. There, teachers, parents and students held a sit-in to make their voices heard. This community asks why the reconstruction of the Social Welfare headquarters, whose works began five years ago, is not yet ready.

“They sold us the idea that the project had all the security conditions to be executed in the shortest time possible. The officials of the Fund came from Bogotá to socialize the implementation of the long-awaited dream, presenting it to us, as the infrastructure work, not only the most modern in Colombia, but also the safest in contractual terms,” ​​the professors recalled.

On that occasion they were assured that the works would be delivered within eight months. It should be noted that the FFIE is part of the Ministry of Education.

However, the contractors have defaulted and left the works abandoned. The works were 35% complete and are paralyzed, according to the Secretary of Education of Cali.

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While the college is being rebuilt, students have gone from side to side to receive classes. The Mayor’s Office of Cali leased a building where they currently receive classes. “Property, which although it is true is notoriously better than the previous one, it is also true that it presents a series of complexities that make the provision of educational services for our Children and Adolescents, a continuous risk of biosecurity”, say the teachers .

They will follow up

The Secretary of Education of Cali, José Darwin Lenis, spoke yesterday with the educational community of IE Cristóbal Colón, and they agreed that a committee will be formed to monitor and oversee the school’s infrastructure works.

In addition, next April 22, a meeting will be held with delegates from the Ministry of Education and the FFIE, in which the date for restarting the works will be defined.

Similar decisions were made during a meeting at the IE El Diamante, where there are not even designs for the works.

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The non-compliance of the contractors who were given the works of the schools in Cali has been going on for years. In 2019, the Comptroller’s Office, through the Departmental Management of Valle del Cauca, convened a table of stakeholders from Buenaventura and Cali, to allow them to take on the problems of the 25 schools that were prioritized in the process, in these cities.

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Schools reopen in Indian Kashmir after 31 months | outstanding | Spanish edition

Schools in Indian-administered Kashmir, closed in 2019 due to security reasons and in the subsequent year on account of the Covid-19 pandemic, re-opened on Wednesday after 31 months.

“The J&K (Jammu and Kashmir) government has decided to reopen all the schools for routine class work (offline) from March 2,” an official statement issued a couple of days earlier said.

The statement directed the heads of schools to strictly follow Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) in order to protect the students.

(…)

Best public schools in Antioquia - Medellin - Colombia

A ranking by the Javeriana University of Bogotá classified the best public schools in Colombia and although there are none from Antioquia among the top 10, the department has its own ranking.

From the list, the best is the Santiago de Arma Industrial Technical Institutein the municipality of Rionegro, in Eastern Antioquia.

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“We are very pleased to see the news that ranks the institution as number one in the department of Antioquia of a public nature. I congratulate its rector, its parents, its teachers and the entire community that surrounds this important institution, urge them to continue with this great work”, explained Juan Sebastián Castro Henao, Secretary of Education of that municipality.

Castro highlighted that in Rionegro the schools have state-of-the-art technology and that more than a thousand computers were delivered, there are also a thousand beneficiaries with mobile connectivity.

“All our campuses have fiber optics and 15 campuses with network points to bring the internet to the classrooms. Similarly, we guarantee 100% coverage with the school feeding program (PAE) and we have a teacher training program,” he said.

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The ‘Read Your School’ index of the Educational Economics Laboratory (LEE) of the Javeriana University scrutinizes important aspects of education in more than 8,000 public schools. There it was found that 39% of the country’s official institutions have a high performance in educational quality, 40%, a medium performance and 21% have a low performance.

This is the list of the best public schools in Antioquia, according to this measurement:

1. Santiago de Arma Industrial Technical Institute (Rionegro)
2. Mary Help of Christians Superior Normal School (Copacabana)
3. New Generation Educational Institution (Bello)
4. Loyola College for Science and Innovation (Medellín)
5. Lucrecio Jaramillo Vélez Educational Institution (Medellín)
6. Maria Josefa Marulanda Educational Institution (La Ceja)
7. La Presentation Educational Institution (Medellín)
8. Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Educational Institution (Medellín)
9. José María Bernal Educational Institution (Medellín)
10. Industrial Technician Jorge Eliecer Gaitán (Carmen de Viboral)
11. Santo Tomás de Aquino Educational Institution (Guarne)
12. La Paz Educational Institution (Envigado)
13. Presbítero Libardo Aguirre Educational Institution (Concepción)
14. José Manuel Restrepo Vélez Educational Institution (Envigado)
15. Asia Ignatian Educational Institution (Medellín)
16. Mater Dei Educational Institution (Medellin)
17. María Mediadora Educational Institution (Sabaneta)
18. Santa Juana de Lestonac Educational Institution (Medellín)
19. Antonio José de Sucre Educational Institution (Itagüi)
20. Santo Ángel Educational Institution (Medellín)

MEDELLIN

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Armed strike February 23: shops and schools are closed in Cauca - Other Cities - Colombia

In some municipalities of Cauca there is fear of the armed strike announced by the self-styled National Liberation Army (Eln).

In El Tambo and Argelia, many owners of commercial premises have decided not to open. In addition, companies are not sending transportation and student classes have also been paralyzed by threats from the armed group.

(Read in context: A vehicle was incinerated on the Pan-American highway between Popayán and Cali)

In the Colombian massif there is no movement of vehiclespeople are locked in their houses.

In this area, in La Vega, in the village of La Buitrera, district of Arbela, they found a cylinder. Leaders indicate that, apparently, it would be loaded with explosives. An explosive device was also found in El Bohío, which has already been removed by the Police.

Also, it was learned that on the outskirts of Popayán, in Coconuco, the dump trucks -for safety reasons- are not going up.

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In this capital, in the place known as El Morro, an ELN flag was left.

Likewise, in an apparent armed checkpoint in the El Descanso sector, district of Pescador, jurisdiction of the municipality of Caldono, A vehicle was incinerated on Wednesday morning. Simultaneously, near Cajibío, two cylinders with flags alluding to the ELN were found.

Around 8 pm on Tuesday, February 22, a coffin was found on the road that leads from Los Robles to the village of Sachacoco. The coffin is still on the site, according to the community’s complaint.

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The Secretary of the Government of Cauca, Luis Cornelio Angulo, stated that actions are being coordinated to provide sufficient security to the communities, especially where the ELN has interference.

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Barranquilla: the 10 best public schools in the Caribbean region - Barranquilla - Colombia

An analysis of the Global Score in the Saber 11 Test – 2021 of 1,690 educational institutions in the Caribbean region allowed classifying the 10 best public schoolsof which seven are from Barranquilla.

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The report was directed by the Colombian Caribbean Education Observatory (OECC), of the Universidad del Norte, highlighting that another school in the Atlantic capital, the IED Alexander Von Humboldt, remains the best in the official sector in Colombia.

Only this last campus obtained a Overall Score of 355while the national average of public schools in the country is 249.

In this region, the first place was occupied by the District School Jorge Nicolás Abello, from Barranquilla, with 320 in the Global Score; it is followed by IE Loperena, from Valledupar (318), IED Experiences Pedagogical (318), IED Madre Marcelina (318).

These last two are also from the capital of the Atlantic. It is followed in fifth place by IE Antonio Nariño, from Montería (315), IED Nueva Granada (315), and IE Mercedes Abrego (301), from Montería.

And the list is closed by the schools of Barranquilla María Inmaculada (292), Normal Superior (292) and Marie Poussepin (290).

More details of this classification

Many territorial entities of the Caribbean are not appearing in this ranking and it is also a call to learn from the good that these schools are doing.

As explained by the OECC, the decimal values ​​and the number of students evaluated are taken as tiebreaker to place schools in the ‘top 10’ of the best public schools.

For the coordinator of the Observatory, Jorge Valencia, it is very good news from Barranquilla that Humboldt is the best FDI in the country and that the city is the majority with its schools in this ranking.

“Many territorial entities of the Caribbean are not appearing in this ranking and it is also a call to learn from the good that these schools in Barranquilla are doing to start carrying out some processes within them,” the academic told EL TIEMPO.

Another key aspect highlighted by Valencia in this list is that the District’s schools maintained the levels they brought in the official sector. before the pandemicdespite the complexities caused by the absence of face-to-face classes.

Facade of the IED Alexander Von Humboldt, in the north of Barranquilla.

Findings in schools that come from less to more

We have identified positive leadership on the part of rectors and coordinators, and a particular concentration of teachers with higher levels of professionalization

“If we look at the Caribbean as a whole, the official sector is on a downward trend. That decline was caused by the pandemic. Something different happened with the private sector: they came from a decline, but when entering the pandemic they were able to reverse the trend in a great way and increase the results, ”said the coordinator.

In addition to the Humboldt, the teacher highlighted the work of the Nueva Granada school, the Jorge Nicolás Abello and the IED Madre Marcelina, as the schools that have progressively come climbing on that result and have been improving since previous years.

“We have identified positive leadership on the part of the rectors and coordinators, and a particular concentration of teachers with higher levels of professionalization and training. In that case, it seems that in these schools where there is transformative leadership and committed teachers, they have been able to give sustained results over time”, Valencia closed.

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Top 10 private schools

Regarding the 10 best private schools in the region, the list is opened by two Barranquilla schools: Boston International (375) and Nuevo Colegio del Prado (361), continues the La Concepción Educational Corporation (356), from Bolívar.

The Experimental Educational Foundation (356), from Barranquilla, Aspaen Cartagena de Indias Gymnasium (355), Redcol British School of Cartagena (352), Royal School (352), from Barranquilla, International School of Cartagena (350).

With 350 in the Global Scorethe schools Nuevo Colegio María Montessori, in Soledad (Atlántico) and Centro de Educación El Recreo, in Cartagena, close the list of the best in this sector, where the national average is 284.

In conclusion, the OECC pointed out that the key may be in the combination between leadership and pedagogical proficiency of teachers.

Deivis Lopez Ortega
Correspondent of EL TIEMPO Barranquilla
On twitter: @dejholopez
Write me at deilop@eltiempo.com

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7 Predominately Black Schools in Washington Receive Bomb Threats

WASHINGTON — 

Seven predominately Black schools in Washington were evacuated over bomb threats Wednesday and later cleared, including a high school that was threatened a day earlier during a visit by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband, authorities said.

The District of Columbia Police Department said four public high schools and three charter schools had received threats.

Washington police later declared Dunbar High School, where Harris’ husband, Douglas Emhoff, was rushed to safety after Tuesday’s bomb threat, and the others “cleared with no hazardous material found.”

Authorities have not indicated a connection to race in the spate of bomb threats, and police said Tuesday’s incident did not appear targeted at Emhoff, who was visiting Dunbar for a Black History Month event.

But the incidents have further raised fears among Black communities already rattled by a series of bomb threats made last week to at least a dozen historically Black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, nationwide.

“Americans have a right to be safe at work, in houses of worship and at school,” Harris said in a statement. “We must stand up against any threat of violence in our communities.”

No explosives were found at any of the HBCUs, but the threats are being investigated by the FBI. Washington police say they are investigating this week’s threats to Dunbar, considered the first high school for Black Americans in the United States, and the other schools.

“These are troublesome incidents that we take very seriously,” D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Lewis Ferebee said, adding the school system “will continue to offer support to our school communities while the (police) investigations are ongoing.”

Rural schools in Sucre, without guarantees to return to classes due to covid - Other Cities - Colombia

For the Association of Educators of Sucre -Ades-, the Educational Institutions of the 26 municipalities of Sucre They do not have biosafety guarantees for the health of teachers, students and managers in relation to covid-19.

This was expressed by the president of the association, Ubaldo Corrales, who, accompanied by other officials of the entity, toured the towns and were able to see first-hand what they are facing.

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“What we verified is that in the vast majority of Educational Institutions there is not even water, the sanitary units are not in the best conditions and in some establishments these modules, in relation to the number of students they have, are not enough to house them” , He said.

Biosecurity is not possible

Who is going to provide masks, liquid soap, disposable towels, everything that is needed to maintain minimal biosecurity

He pointed out that it is also necessary to draw the attention of local leaders, mayors and governors, because the Ministry of Health no longer talks about biosafety elements.

“Who is going to provide masks, liquid soap, disposable towels, everything that is needed to maintain biosecurity at a minimum,” he said.

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He specified that they are going to return to the Educational Institutions requesting the rectors and directors, that where the conditions are not met, they pronounce themselves in writing to the Secretary of Education, with a copy to the Attorney General’s Office, the Comptroller’s Office and control entities in general.

“We have to save responsibilities, because things could be presented to regret,” said the president of the Ades, “he said.

we have to go back

… they must review the context of the school and in that sense see if there are, or not, the conditions for the return when it is in a fourth peak of the pandemic

The president of the Ubaldo Corrales Teachers’ Association stated that beyond any situation the idea is to return to the classrooms in Educational Institutions.

“From educational establishments, direct councils, parent associations, teachers and directors themselves must review the context of the school and in that sense see if there are, or not, the conditions for the return when it is in a fourth peak of the pandemic,” he noted.

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He requested that anomalies be notified through a statement so that a commission from the Secretaries and the Ministry reviews the education entities and checks their status.

No water in Sucre schools

There are schools that have a tank for
sink of 20 liters of water, with 800 students

There must be sinks, liquid soap, minimal things and here most of the establishments in the rural areas of Sucre and Sincelejo do not have those conditions.

The president of the union expressed that it is not about making objections at this time, but about having the minimum conditions, because an Educational Institution without water cannot guarantee hand washing, disinfection of sanitary units, when the student will be 100 percent in face-to-face classes.

“There must be sinks, liquid soap, minimal things and here most of the establishments in the rural areas of Sucre and Sincelejo do not have those conditions. We are not asking to demolish and build a new school, we only ask for adaptations”, he pointed out.

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He explained that there are schools that have a sink tank of 20 liters of water, with 800 students.

“At what time will the curricular work be given? These are situations that occur at a time of a fourth peak of the covid-19 pandemic”, he indicated.
He asked parents to review the environment where their children are studying.

Francis Xavier Barrios
Special for WEATHER
sincelejo

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US Schools in Desperate Need of Substitute Teachers

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA — 

Schools in the United States are struggling to reopen and stay open for in-person classes amid coronavirus outbreaks.

Substitute teachers help fill the gaps when teachers are ill or on personal leave. The problem is that there aren’t enough substitutes – who usually work as needed for low pay.

So school districts are using innovative ways to find other subs and have expanded their pool of candidates to include parents, school bus drivers and even members of the military.

“It’s been tough to hire subs,” said Jean Consolla, principal at Mount Eagle Elementary in Fairfax County, Virginia.

“I had a teacher about to go on maternity leave, and I’m wondering how to cover the time she is gone.”

“Then it occurred to me: What about using my son, Julian, who will be on a college break, as a substitute teacher? He has a positive attitude, likes to work with kids, and can make some money.”

Julian Consolla, 20, is majoring in sports administration. Having completed the required 30 hours of college credits needed to become a sub in Virginia, he thought it would be a good opportunity.

“It was kind of nerve-wracking at first, but after I got used to the routine, it got easier and was fun,” he told VOA.

At another school in Fairfax County, McNair Upper Elementary, Sophie Carter is also a college student and substitute teacher.

Since her major is elementary education, she considers this an ideal job,

“I’m getting classroom management skills, and hopefully I’m making the environment fun and engaging in the classroom. This has strengthened my love for teaching.”

Substitute teacher Sophie Carter helps a student at McNair Upper Elementary School, in Herndon, Fairfax County, Virginia. (Deborah Block/VOA)

Principal Melissa Goddin wishes more college students like Carter would apply since substitute teachers are so hard to come by.

“There are a lot of job opportunities in this area. We’re competing with places that allow people to work from home who want to avoid the possibility of being exposed to the virus at school.”

The situation is similar in Ohio.

“I think people don’t want to expose themselves to the virus if they don’t have to,” said Dawn Gould, community relations coordinator at Kings Local Schools in Kings Mills, Ohio.

“Our substitute fill-in rate was under 50% this week,” she said in an interview with VOA. “We had to close school one day recently because we were having a hard time filling the classrooms.”

A bachelor’s degree is usually required to be a sub in Ohio. But now, during the pandemic, that’s not necessary.

“We’re hopeful we can get more parents to sub who may not have a degree,” she said.

Schools in the western United States have also been calling for parents to help volunteer or substitute teach.

This flyer advertises for badly-needed substitute teachers for the Palo Alto Unified School District in California. It was placed on the district’s website, along with a video, to encourage parents to apply.

In California, the Palo Alto Unified School District is urging parents to volunteer with its “Together, Schools Stay Open” campaign.

“We haven’t been fully staffed for months with enough teachers or substitute teachers,” said Don Austin, the district superintendent. “About 10% of our teachers are out every day.”

Parent Jen Wiener answered the call for help.

Having parents in the classroom “is not a quick fix” to the problem, she said. “But the kids need to be in school, so let’s encourage the parents to help out.”

A school district in Texas says it can get only half of the substitutes it needs.

“People are testing positive or they’ve been in close contact with someone who has symptoms, so they stay home,” said Tim Savoy, chief communications officer for the Hays Consolidated Independent School District, outside Austin.

“We reached out to parents as substitute teachers. Although they would usually need a certain number of college credits, the school principal can waive the requirement.”

Students work with numbers at Pfluger Elementary School, in Buda, Texas. (Courtesy Moses Leos, Hays Consolidated Independent School District)

The rules have also been relaxed in other states.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill that would temporarily “allow trusted staff members such as secretaries, paraprofessionals, and others to work as substitute teachers until the end of the current school year.”

School bus drivers, cafeteria workers and administrative assistants who have a high school education can also be used, according to R.J. Webber, assistant superintendent for academic services at Novi Community School District.

“Our teachers provide lesson plans for the substitutes, who make sure the kids are looked after and safe,” he said.

But that’s disconcerting to Colin Sharkey, executive director of the Association of American Educators.

“It’s concerning that the standards are being lowered,” he said, “but understandably, districts are just trying to do anything to make sure that there’s some supervision in the classroom.”

Due to “extreme staffing shortages,” New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham is asking members of the National Guard to volunteer as substitute teachers. “Our schools are a critical source of stability for kids. We know they learn better in the classroom,” she said.