This Monday, January 22, more than 84 thousand students who are part of the 47 educational institutions found in the municipality of Valledupar begin the first academic period of 2024.
The municipal Education Secretariat will present recommendations for a safe return to school, in collaboration with the Children and Adolescents Police.
“On the 22nd we will begin this day of instructions at the José Eugenio Martínez school, starting at six in the morning in joint work with the National Police, which will be present in the 47 institutions of the city. It is a request that we have made to the authorities and we hope to have it in order to have good relations and communications,” said Camilo Pinto, municipal Secretary of Education.
START WITH PAE
Regarding the School Feeding Plan (PAE), Pinto pointed out that it will be available from the first day of classes for more than 47 thousand students, ensuring access to food rations. “The PAE is already fully contracted, ready to start on January 22, the same day that students start classes, there will be more than 47 thousand beneficiaries in the different modalities that the program has, such as: food prepared in the site, which is that which is prepared in institutions that have all the kitchen infrastructure for this purpose, as required by the Ministry of Education; also hot food ready for students’ consumption and, finally, industrialized food“said the secretary.
The municipal Secretary of Education guarantees the start of classes with PAE included. Photo: Joaquín Ramirez.
AND SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION?
Regarding student transportation, Pinto stressed that, although the contract has not yet been consolidated, work is being done on opening the contractual process for the school transportation service in Valledupar. “The project has already been prioritized, we are in the opening of the contractual process to advance everything corresponding to public contracting, as established by the Colombian legal system and we hope to have applications from those companies that want to provide the service, this in accordance with the processes that are already established at the contractual level so that children and adolescents can promptly have access to this service.”Pinto explained.
Read also: Valledupar prepares return to school: how do Vallenatos face the cost of school supplies?
UPWARD CONTROL IN ENROLLMENTS
The local education official emphasized the control that they have been carrying out on the increase in tuition fees, which must be governed in accordance with Resolution 17821 of September 30, 2022, which establishes the increases applicable to tuition fees and pensions in the city’s unofficial educational institutions.
“From the inspection and surveillance area and from the office of the Ministry of Education we are monitoring so that all these values that are adjusted to the legal system and guidelines given by the sector in that sense, we are attentive to receiving any information from organizations made up of parents of family, in the event of any irregularity in that regard”señaló Pinto.
In the same way, he asserted that parents are not obliged to make contributions to the institutions to comply with the cancellation of cleaning tasks in school classrooms. “We must be very careful in this regard, we must remember that the registration process is completely free, however, it must be noted that on occasions complaints have been generated from the community in this regard, so we are very aware that these situations don’t give “We know about the conditions and shortcomings that exist in some institutions, but we want the community to know that we will be working to meet these needs and there is no room for this type of request from parents,” Pinto emphasized.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RETURN TO SCHOOL
Finally, Camilo Pinto called on parents who will be resuming the academic period again with their children, to take into account actions that prevent students from being involved in situations of insecurity inside and outside educational establishments.
Some of the recommendations presented by the secretary were a permanent commitment to the development of the school calendar by parents towards students, bringing them to the start of classes on time, as well as being attentive to situations that put physical integrity at risk. of them or that may affect them psychologically, thus generating inappropriate behaviors that can cause poor academic performance.
BY YUSTIN VARELA/EL PILÓN