RETURNING TO THE CLASSROOM TOGETHER

Pro Mujer in Argentina launched the Educational Guidance Center to provide children and their families with educational support and tutoring.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when school classrooms were closed, students went from hours of being with their teachers and friends to hours on a computer screen or cell phone without leaving their homes. Causing such a drastic lifestyle change for children and families all over the world, the pandemic damaged the very way that the educational sector operates and has affected many families emotionally.

For example, a UNICEF survey on the pandemic’s impact on education in Argentina found that children and adolescents had “low intensity” schooling during the pandemic, with little or no communication with their teachers and with no feedback or evaluation of their work. In other words, the survey found that there were no significant advances in school learning during the pandemic.

Additionally, the study found that 4 out of 10 young people “manifest some negative feeling, such as anguish, fear or depression in the context of a health emergency due to the mismatch of routines and the interruption of interpersonal links.” In both boys and girls, these findings not only elicit questions about their general well-being, but also their ability to establish a fruitful link with schooling and learning. For example, 42% of Argentine households experienced sleep disturbances, which can negatively affect a child’s ability to learn.

To counteract all the negative impacts that the pandemic has brought to the educational sector, Pro Mujer launched the Educational Guidance Center to provide face-to-face and virtual educational support to families in Argentina.

Families can request sessions at low or no cost with teachers who specialize in mathematics, language, English, philosophy and elementary tutoring. Additionally, the Educational Guidance Center has a psychopedagogy service to provide guidance and support to families on how children and young people learn and study. The center also strengthens the literacy and reading comprehension of school-aged children and offers orientation workshops and tools to those who are interested in pursuing higher education.

Carina Cruz, a Pro Mujer entrepreneur, is the mother of two teenagers who are in secondary school. She said, “I resorted to educational support for my youngest daughter in ​​mathematics to help reinforce content and explain new topics. I thought the initiative was very good, easily accessible and, above all, safe, because I took her to the offices where I also attend and I can be with her and the teacher in a safe space. I recommend the service to mothers and fathers. “

Pro Mujer aims to continue to offer services from Educational Guidance Center using a low-cost model and, together with Pro Mujer health care services, it hopes to reduce the gap school-aged children face in accessing quality content.

“We will make education in the most critical areas of knowledge available to the sons and daughters of our professional clients and provide personalized support to help them achieve meaningful learning,” said Hilda García, Coordinator of Personal Development at Pro Mujer.

As the project continues to grow, Pro Mujer hopes to expand the number of subjects offered, specifically supporting girls and young women in learning more about technology and science.

Hilda García said, “We are seeking partners that support this initiative and can help us reach more boys and girls at zero cost to them or their families.”

If your company is interested in supporting the project, contact us.