The Minister of Education of La Rioja, Ariel Martínez, who this Wednesday will be one of the provincial authorities that will receive President Alberto Fernández to start the 2022 school year, highlighted the investments in school infrastructure, which this year will allow progress in the expansion and construction of a dozen schools.
-Martínez, what does it mean for La Rioja that the President has chosen this province to open the 2022 school year?
-Marks a great recognition to our educational system, to the management of Governor Ricardo Quintela. It will be a relevant, transcendent, historical fact to have this cycle opening act not only in the province but in the country, and also to have the (national) Minister of Education, Jaime Perczyk, with his entire cabinet.
-What do you expect for La Rioja in this new school year?
-Days ago we have been with the governor and Minister Perczyk with the intention of deepening one of the strategic lines for our province, which has not been given for a long time: investment in school infrastructure. At the end of 2021 we have put out to tender two educational establishments, one in the Facundo Quiroga Department and another in the town of Malligasta; an expansion of the “E.Guzmán Loza” Multipurpose Art Center in the city of La Rioja. These are investments for more than 30 million pesos.
With the governor these days we made arrangements in Buenos Aires, from which four new schools will come out for the province: in Anjullón, Ulapes, one more garden for the 6 that we are building in the capital, and a primary school for the Francisco Primero neighborhood. . There is also the announcement days ago by the President regarding (the construction) of new technical schools for the province.
-The arrival of books to schools in La Rioja was also announced. How many would it be?
-There are almost 74,000 books and bibliography for the educational system, which will be added to the 50,000 manuals that we are designing and working on in the province. We are also working very hard on careful presence.
-What actions is La Rioja articulating with the Nation?
-We have presented in Nation our educational innovations at all levels and modalities. We are working on a social robot with artificial intelligence for the initial level, completing the “Rosario Vera Peñaloza” Program for the primary level, and working with a computer case for our 400 rural schools. On the other hand, we are creating a strong link between our technical schools and the world of work and production.
-Have there been advances in the delivery of computers to La Rioja students?
-We have two important programs. One is their own and I will say that there are only two provinces in the country that have it. It is the “Rosario Vera Peñaloza”, a process of digital literacy at the primary level. This year and next year we completed the entire level. Each student and each teacher will have a computer with a technological floor, with an educational management platform to work with the family and with all our connected schools.
The other program is Connect Equality. We are already delivering it simultaneously throughout the province. It is a program articulated with the Nation, which allows us to equip all the students of our secondary schools. Thus, La Rioja is going to be one of the provinces that is going to have the greatest incorporation of new technologies and innovation in the educational system.
-The health protocol is vital to guarantee full presence in schools…
-Together with the Minister of Health, Juan Carlos Vergara, we tripled the biosafety elements. Like every year we are going to deliver more than 120,000 kits for all the members of the educational community. We will promote a school that guarantees the work and development of educational practice, learning. We are going to continue to strengthen ventilation, the use of the chinstrap, the readjustment of spaces while the Government of the province made the entire health system available so that the educational community can comply with the scheme of all vaccines, not only against the Covid-19.
-What national programs are implemented in the ministry?
-Everyone, Back to School, Accompany, Ends, we work the Youth Parliaments program, the Participate program, the program that strengthens the reading plan (Books to Learn), Progress. In 100% virtuality in the middle of the pandemic, we were one of the two provinces that have applied all the programs. We even held the math Olympics, we strengthened the science clubs that in many places, due to lack of connectivity, could not advance. In La Rioja yes.
-How did your ministry work on the educational reconnection of those students affected by the pandemic?
-Since we began face-to-face training last year, we have deepened the Accompany program. Once the boy who was out of the educational system due to connectivity difficulties or any other social aspect has been identified, we, with a tutor teacher, make a comprehensive approach to the student, not only at an educational level but also at a social level to reincorporate him into the educational system.
