Andina

Peru President: Private schools must make adjustment in fees

ANDINA/Prensa Presidencia

14:49 | Lima, Apr. 20.

President Martin Vizcarra on Monday afternoon said that each private school in Peru shall adjust and lower the fees charged to parents since there are no longer in-person classes but virtual ones.

"Obviously, they must make adjustments in the fees because there is no longer in-person participation," he suggested.

The Head of State pointed out that private education —knowing that its characteristics must change in the remainder of the year— must make a new assessment of what it will prioritize in teaching, in accordance with the Ministry of Education's guidelines.

Thus, his message matches what Education Minister Martin Benavides announced last Sunday, in the sense that students from private schools —whose parents cannot afford the fees— have the possibility of migrating to public schools.

"The enrollment process is now over, but obviously —in an unprecedented framework such as that of the coronavirus— Minedu is evaluating the possibility of reopening enrollment in order to welcome students who were receiving private education and want to migrate to the public one," he expressed.

The top official stressed that the Government must provide all facilities to the health and education sectors because they are the foundations for a society to progress.

"Those sectors are the most affected by the coronavirus, and we must provide alternative solutions," he pointed out.

Postponement


"There is no date yet. First, it was proposed that these (classes) should start in the first week of May, but no, that would be very soon," he expressed that day.

Within this framework, the top official said that minors are citizens who deserve the utmost care of society and the Peruvian State.

"We cannot put these children and studious youth at risk of contagion at classrooms for a time that we cannot yet define, but it cannot be in the short term," he emphasized.

Tablets


In this sense, the leader underlined last weekend that the purchase of tablets will allow students in rural areas to access the same content that pupils in cities have, thus reducing gaps and disadvantages. For remote areas, where there are no electric power services, each tablet will include a solar charger.

Today's remarks were made in a televised press conference, within the framework of a mandatory social isolation imposed to prevent the COVID-19 from further spreading in the South American country.


On this occasion, the President was joined by some members of the Council of Ministers. The event was held at the Government Palace in Lima.

Monday marks the thirty-sixth day of mandatory social isolation.

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Published: 4/20/2020