education

Longer school day piloted in 30 elementary schools

Some 30 elementary schools across the nation implemented the extended schedule last week.

If proven effective, Meduca will expand the program to other schools across the country.

LA PRENSA/ Roberto López Dubois

test run: Under a new pilot program, thousands of elementary school children study academic subjects between 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and then attend fine arts and physical ed courses until 4:00 p.m. 1095842

In a measure unlikely to be very popular with thousands of school children, the Ministerio de Educación has decided to extend the school day at 30 elementary schools across the country.

Under the new schedule, classes start at 7:30 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m., with the academic subjects being concentrated in the morning and courses such as physical education and art being taught in the afternoon.

To Génesis Cortés, a 5th grader at the Escuela Rivera, located near the Bayano dam, staying in school longer doesn’t seem all that bad. Cortés explained that the new schedule, which was implemented at her school on Sept. 15, lets her and her classmates devote more time to their studies, to the degree that they often finish their homework at school. The 10-year-old said she’s sure she will get better grades now.

School principal María del Carmen González said she was pleased with how the extended hours allowed the students more time for their work.

“Before, when they were asked to do a project at home, many children brought things very well made, but they were made by their parents or family members,” she said. “Now they can do this work here and really get to learn.”

Gónzalez noted that the new school day particularly benefits those students who face many responsibilities at home, such as caring for siblings, cooking and cleaning, chores that forced them to neglect their school work.

“I think we’ll all learn much more,” she added.

Since the start of the new program, educators and administrators reported that the program has worked fairly well, with the exception of meal times.

There have been widespread complaints that the Ministerio de Educación (Meduca) has not delivered the food it pledged for student lunches. In the meantime, the school cafeterias are trying to stretch out the portions of rice and lentils provided by the Fondo de Inversión Social.

Meduca director Salvador Rodríguez denied that lunch provisions haven’t arrived.

“I was personally at several schools in Coclé, Herrera and Los Santos, and they all had their food,” he said.

The official said that the plan has worked very well, and that parents are pleased because their children are not out in the streets.

Rodríguez indicated that the results of the program will be evaluated based on the improvement shown in the students’ performance. Should it prove effective, the new schedule will be expanded next year in to various schools throughout the country.