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News > Panama

Panama: Teachers Reject on-Site Classes Starting Next Week

  • A teacher corrects exercises to a student, Panama, 2021.

    A teacher corrects exercises to a student, Panama, 2021. | Photo: Twitter/ @MeducaPma

Published 6 April 2021
Opinion

They pointed out that the COVID-19 vaccination program would not cover all the education sector staff in time.

Panama's National Union of Educators (UNECEP) announced its opposition to part-time, in-person classes starting April 12 as the current health conditions put students and professors at risk.

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Besides the little advance in COVID-19 vaccination, educators noted the lack of educative materials and sanitary conditions in some schools. 

UNECEP officials highlighted that only 6,000 out of 48,500 teachers would be vaccinated. Despite this situation, 390 professors are attending classes. 

"It is a very worrying and unfortunate situation. Teachers and administrative staff have not received any vaccine in the Herrera province," Association of Herrera Educators President Angel Mitre warned. 

Panama's Teachers Association (ASOPROF) chairman Fernando Abrego supported UNECEP claims, noting the decision was "premature" since it is impossible to establish part-time classes in large institutions.

UNECEP also reported 219,000 students in public schools without Internet access in 2019. This situation was common last year as well. 

As of Tuesday morning, this Central American nation had confirmed 356,556 COVID-19 cases and 6,138 related deaths.

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