Students in schools and colleges throughout the country will be able to attend in-person classes without their uniform, or without a part of it, during 2021, but to do so, they must present a justification signed by their parents or legal guardians.
This decision was announced by the acting Minister of Public Education, Melania Brenes Monge, during the press conference on the state of national emergency imposed by the novel Coronavirus.
Flexibility
According to the official, the flexibility of the use of clothing was approved by the Higher Council of Education (CSE) on January 28th. The organ approved an addition of a transitory Regulation of Official Uniform in Public Educational Institutions – executive decree 28,557 – which indicates:
“With extraordinary character for the 2021 school year, guaranteeing the best interests of minors and the right to education of the student population, the addresses of the educational center are authorized to allow the attendance to the educational center of students who do not wear the official uniform or the regulated institutional uniform”.
Justification
Brenes Monge emphasized that underage students will have to present a justification from their guardians. This document can be presented before the start of classes, during the course of these; and it can be valid for a part of or the whole year. In the case of students of legal age, they may present a letter in a personal capacity.
New reality
The change in the use of clothing is based on “the socioeconomic reality of the country and the particularities of the 2020 and 2021 school years”, under the context of the Pandemic. The announcement of the flexibility of wearing the uniform comes before the start of the 2021 school year, which will be carried out under a modality that combines in-person with virtuality. In that return to the classrooms, all attendees must respect -among other protocols- the use of a mask and the physical distance of 1.8 meters between each one.
