Spain – Return to school in compliance with health measures in Basque Salesian Centers

28 May 2020

(ANS - Bilbao) - Several television news and photos in the press have shown teachers teaching with masks and taking temperatures at the entrance to the Centers. This week, some vocational training and B.A. courses have started again to close the year with face-to-face lessons. "Certainly, participation in these conditions was better than we expected. We are all eager to recover our habits," says Josean Prol, Director of the Salesian center in Deusto, Bilbao.

For the reopening of the Centers, the indications of the health authorities have always been followed, applying social distancing in classrooms and laboratories, the mandatory use of masks, temperature control at the entrances, and a significant reinforcement of cleaning activities. All this conforms to the protocol defined by each center.

"There was an intense work of preparation by the management team, but with an important contribution from the teaching staff, to whom the pilot experience was proposed these days, and we are putting it into practice with the subjects of mathematics and language of the 4th year of secondary school," says Prol.

The director of the Salesian center in Urnieta, José Luis Pinedo, reports that this restart has not been easy: "We did it in a staggered way." Entry is scheduled at specific times for each group, only those in need of school reinforcement enter the class, while the rest of the lessons are still held online.

"The safety measures are exhaustive," comments Asier Irastuza, of the management team. "We also have the unconditional collaboration of the Parents Association which, among other things, has provided each student, in addition to protective masks, also with sanitizing gels."

The center of Urnieta has gone even further; between Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 May, they organized the Open Door Days: "With an appointment set previously, specific times for each stage, with all health measures ... But it is important for our Center that they know us in person," concludes the Director, José Luis Pinedo.

All principals are now already thinking about how to get organized for September. While responding daily to all the indications that come from the educational and health authorities, the reflection is towards planning lessons for the beginning of the next school year, offering  50% of the lessons online and 50% live, and looking for systems and models to replicate.

The Government of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country has educational centers with the decision to open or not; as is, only 20% of the centers of the Autonomous Community have reopened.

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ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

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