Escuela para El Futuro: A year of challenges!

Due to COVID-19, we started offering online classes. This meant all learning activities were planned so that the children could complete the exercises with the help of their parents at home. The teachers got in touch with the children everyday via Facebook and WhatsApp groups (very few families have a computer or wifi at home) and sent them a list of exercises to do each day. They then asked the parents of each child to check the completed exercises and the children’s homework or have the homework sent back to the teachers electronically for checking.

The teachers send messages, videos, voice messages or telephone with the parents to help them understand the activities set better and thus avoid confusion when helping their children. This way, we ensured that the children were learning effectively despite the circumstances and parents were actively involved in their children’s learning. The teachers and Headmaster visited the school each day during this period to work personally with the children and families who needed the most support.

As of May, we had the opportunity to return to lessons held in person and, during these few weeks, we worked in small groups with the children and observed all Corona safety measures to avoid infection. These smaller groups arrived at the school site at different times to avoid unnecessary contact. During the first two weeks, the children were escorted to school by their parents, who also took part in the lessons, and then, during recent weeks, the children came to school on their own. We continued to support the families at school and in the community by organising food packages to be delivered and looking for ways to help them cope with the situation.  

In the first week of July, the children’s graduation took place. All the children received a diploma certificate and a bouquet of flowers from the Headmaster, Jesus Lupercio and the kindergarten coordinator. Following some words from the staff, the children expressed their gratitude beautifully in their own words. In light of the COVID-19 situation, the celebration was short and simple.

Alejandro N. the Child & Family Foundation Project Manager was present at the ceremony during his visit to the school and had the opportunity to meet the children and their parents. He discussed the school’s situation and future plans with the staff. The Headmaster indicated that his main priorities were to purchase a playground, install a roof over the play area (temperatures reach 40 degrees Celsius in summer) and an educational garden so that the children learn how to grow fruit and vegetables.

The school building is in excellent condition 2 years after its inauguration. The time and effort which the teachers and the children have put into this school is truly admirable, especially given the difficulties of the past year. Thanks to the efforts of the management team and the teaching staff, we managed to maintain good attendance this year. We’re looking forward to the beginning of the new academic year, which will, of course, bring its own new challegnes and opportunities so that we can offer our children and their familes here at the Escuela para el Futuro the best possible support.