Almost 400 primary school students suspended the 2021-2022 school year in Ciego de Ávila

A total of 348 primary school students inCiego de Avila they disapproved ofschool course 2021-2022, a period that was marked by the negative consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

To the second, fourth, fifth and sixth grade students who failed, there are 353 first and third grade students who did not meet the course objectives.

These figures represent 2.6% of the more than 28 thousand students that the province has, and although it is a relatively low figure, behind the numbers hides the reality of an educational system affected by the pandemic.

Regarding the quality of learning, on average, 51% of the students who passed the exams achieved grades of Very Good or Excellent; and the Spanish Language subject was the one with the worst results, according to data offered by the official newspaperInvader.

“It has been very, very difficult,” confessed Inés Alquízar, mother of a child who had to learn to read and write at home, fearing getting sick from COVID-19, watching teleclasses and through WhatsApp groups, the latter a privilege that not all students had, due to the price of internet in Cuba.

Another aspect that has made teaching difficult in Ciego de Ávila is theteacher shortage, where they could not fill the positions of 196 teachers, explained Sergio Molina González, from the Human Resources Department.

"Although no student was left unprotected, since it was possible to guarantee teaching coverage with alternatives, it is no less true that the greatest weight within these fell on the 239 teachers who, in one way or another, had to assume the burden of others," he explained.

Nolberto Roche Noa, provincial deputy director of Education, described this course as transitory and recalled that many children began primary school at home; Therefore, the introduction to reading and writing was without the direct influence of the teacher.

"Therefore, these students today have a deficiency. It has been shown that attending school every day makes it difficult to work with first grade children when it comes to learning to read and write. Imagine those children who did not have the presence of the teacher," he argued.

The 2021-2022 school year began in Ciego de Ávila on March 14 of last year and was adjusted to last until November 19; with fewer classes and curricular adaptations to comply with the instructions of the Ministry of Education.