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With schools open and parents having to go to work when it is not possible to telecommute, the general lockdown that came into effect at 00:00 this Friday, due to covid-19, becomes a nightmare for those who have nowhere to leave their children outside of school hours. The leisure activity centers (ATL) are obliged to close doors and, therefore, the help that would be essential to welcome children after school was out of the question, according to the decree-law – after the preparation diploma to initially underline that ATLs could remain open. However, there are those who expect a correction in the document and, therefore, it was still open this Friday, even in breach of the restrictive measures against the pandemic.
As Nascer do SOL was able to verify, at least one ATL in the Setúbal district maintained its operation on the first day of confinement, with the management awaiting a reaction – unknown until the closing time of this edition – by the «district central »To know if it can remain open or not. «Either there is a correction to the decree-law or it must be closed, because today [sexta-feira] we are in default. We really have to obey what is established ”, revealed the director of this activity center. In this sense, there are “a series” of petitions, with thousands of signatures, that were created against the closure of these establishments, as well as study centers, which are also closed.
Children ‘can’t’ be alone
With the study centers and ATL closed, the children will have to stay, after school, during school recess, alone at home or go to a family home, a situation that is not warned by the General Directorate of Health due to the crossing of family nuclei – given that many of them are not enrolled in curricular enrichment activities (AEC) or in family support components (CAF) that operate within public schools and, therefore, continue to operate.
In this weekly, the president of the National Confederation of Parents’ Associations (Confap), Jorge Ascenção, stressed that children under 12 must be “safe” and have the necessary support.
There are many ATLs. I realize that there may be some limitations. But in some situations, children are still very dependent and do not yet have much autonomy, that is, until they are 12, 13 and 14 years old. So there has to be an answer. What we are doing is insisting that the ATL remain open. Here there is a responsibility of the State to obtain an answer so that the children can be safe and in the care of someone ”, he added, adding that the institutions themselves also have to force the note with the respective tutors.
“The institutions themselves must question their respective protection: those that are the IPSS, Social Security and some the Ministry of Economy, because they are private and depend on that ministry. And they have to question ”, reinforced Jorge Ascenção, who, despite this, admitted that the study rooms for more autonomous young people may eventually close. «Older people manage to have more autonomy, but there are very complicated situations. Parents contact us constantly because they are full of doubts, apprehensive and concerned. They do not know where their children are going. There must be a solution, even within the scope of the National Commission for the Protection of Youth “, he concluded.
More tests and vaccination priority
Class principals agree with the government’s decision to keep schools open during the lockdown, but say that leaving schools open is not enough. They talk about additional measures to control the contagion of covid-19. To do this, they suggest rapid tests in schools and priority for education professionals regarding vaccination, when the time comes to vaccinate essential services.
“We must remind the Prime Minister, António Costa, of the arrival of rapid tests or antigens in schools. On Wednesday, he revived an announcement they made in October or November of last year, and it was an announcement that died. The advertisement was resurrected and I hope that the same advertisement will not die again, because these tests are important ”, began the president of the National Association of Directors of Public Groups and Schools, Filinto Lima, recalling that, with regard to vaccination , hopes that the government “does not forget” to put employees and teachers at the forefront.
‘It’s easy to explain why. We will be in the front line in combat. In a war it is necessary to equip warriors with weapons, and the weapons at this time are these: rapid tests and vaccination, “he fired, also waiting, since October last year, for the” three thousand employees “that the Government promised to send. . the schools.
Petitions to close schools
In recent days, thousands of people have signed petitions against the opening of schools during this new confinement, in which, in addition to being forced to close the establishments, it is also said that the Government has not provided information and procedures to adopt.
“Opening the classroom windows is not an appropriate measure. They can’t just wait ‘to see how it goes’. The Government must put children’s health and safety first and take strict measures to prevent the spread of covid-19, “reads one of the public petitions, which already has more than 84,000 signatures.
