Teachers Union
In Plea Not To Re-Open Schools Monday
Teachers are asking the ministerio de Salud
to reconsider the decision to return to
classes on Monday. In a letter to the
ministra de Salud, María Luisa Ávila, the
Asociación de Profesores de Segunda
Enseñanza (APSE), demonstrated its
discontent with the decision as Costa Rica
is still adding up victims due to the AH1N1
flu virus.
The teachers union voice their concern on
Friday when ministra Ávila announced that
the mid year school break was over and
school would continue on Monday, July 27,
after a three week recess.
The mid year school break was to be over on
July 20 after a two week vacation, however,
Salud (Health) officials decided to keep the
schools closed one week longer to avoid
propagation of infection of the AH1N1.
Beatriz Ferreto, president of the APSE,
explained that they (the teachers) have not
received any training whatsoever on dealing
with the pandemic and cannot accept any
responsibility for not complying with the
guidelines established by Salud officials.
Ferreto added that like the suspension of
the "romeria", the schools should also
continue closed.
The ministerio de Salud cancelled this
year's walk to Cartago (the romeria) in fear
of mass spreading of the AH1N1 flu virus,
Salud officials saying that a possible
20.000 infections could occur of the 2
million or so expected romeros (walkers).
"There is no justification to re-open the
schools as parents have not protected their
children and have taken them to many places
where they could have been infected", said
Ferreto in her plea to ministra Ávila.
The ministero de Salud explained that the
decision to return to classes on Monday is
based on the fact that the spread of the
virus in the population of those under 19
years of age is lower than anticipated, thus
lowering the risk of infection and spreading
the virus.
To date the youngest person to have died
from the AH1N1 virus, one of 17 deaths, was
21 years of age. |
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