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On Tuesday, Governor Jenniffer González Colón visited the Department of Education’s headquarters to discuss with the newly appointed secretary, Eliezer Ramos Parés, and his team the condition of public schools ahead of the commencement of the second semester of the 2024-2025 academic year.
“As I mentioned in December, I fully accept responsibility for ensuring that all schools are prepared by [next] August, but today, on my sixth day in office as governor, I am here to meet with the education secretary to assess the state of our schools,” González Colón stated during a press briefing. “What developments transpired in December? Which institutions are in favorable condition? Some will be unprepared due to issues with electrical services, water supply, or construction.”
The discussion included the status of 49 schools that are still in the construction phase due to structural concerns related to short columns; some of these facilities will not be operational until February. Additionally, there were 160 vacant teaching positions and 320 vacancies for cafeteria staff identified.
“This doesn’t hinder the commencement of classes; however, we’ve developed contingency plans to address the requirements in the affected educational areas,” the governor remarked.
Designated Education Secretary Eliezer Ramos Parés confirmed that the semester will begin as scheduled despite existing challenges.
“We are not facing significant obstacles to launching the new term,” he explained. “There are some minor issues at certain schools, including three that had electricity outages, two of which have already been rectified. Additionally, two schools experienced fire incidents, but steps are being implemented to ensure student attendance.”
The infrastructure difficulties in the southern part of the island remain an issue due to the aftermath of past earthquakes.
“We have modular schools, alternative sites, and pending reconstruction projects,” Ramos Parés noted. “The governor has prioritized this, and we will collaborate with FEMA [the Federal Emergency Management Agency], COR3 [the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience], and other stakeholders to expedite these processes.”
