It's been more than a month since the children of Puerto Rico stopped going to class following strict coronavirus lockdown measures. Local institutions decided to switch to online learning. However, not everyone can join in.

Haydee Del Valle, a mother of two students, said her sons could not attend online classes due to the lack of internet and the latest cellphone models. Her family lives in San Salvador---a remote neighborhood in Caguas. Her home is situated twenty miles away from the capital, making it harder for the signal to reach them.

According to a nonprofit organization, a quarter of the island's children do not have access to the internet. More than half do not have their own computers. While they do have cellphones, the functions needed to attend classes require more powerful devices, said Amanda Rivera---the organization's director.

Difficult Circumstances

Del Valle described her sons' transition to virtual learning "very difficult." Their cellphone service has been cut off after they were unable to pay the bill. The COVID-19 lockdown severely affected their source of income---selling homemade goods and produce.

After getting their connection restored, Del Valle received calls from her sons' teachers. They asked why her sons hadn't passed homework. She then realized the attachments they sent didn't go through.

"My son is scared of going back to school," she said. "He's scared they might ask him why he didn't do anything."

Remote Learning Challenges

According to Eligio Hernandez, the island's education secretary, online classes will end during the first two weeks of May. All public school students will go on to their next grade. Schools will test their progress and learning in the upcoming academic calendar. However, students living in rural or underserved areas have faced challenges in remote learning.

Local officials are now working to calculate how much students with no access to the internet were able to learn virtually. They are also waiting for a report from social workers to identify whose learning capacity was hindered by poverty.

There are nearly 600,000 children in Puerto Rico. An overwhelming 71 percent live in impoverished areas or are on the verge of becoming poor. Almost 38 percent live in extreme poverty, with yearly income amounting to only $3,950.

Half of Puerto Rico's youth are enrolled in the public school system. Their families' financial conditions, however, means less access to good-quality schools and tools that are crucial to a good education.

Learning Resources

Eligio Hernandez, the education secretary, has made it possible for schools to transition to distance learning through a series of resources smoothly. These include online modules and virtual classrooms using conference apps such as Zoom and Google Classrooms.

Puerto Rican officials also pulled $787 million from their emergency reserve fund created after the devastating 2017 Hurricane Maria. Over $250 million were given to the island's Education Department. The budget will be used to buy tablets and software necessary to improve remote learning.

The Education Department acquired nearly 160,000 tablets with 20,000 more expecting to arrive in June. They also hope to purchase 30,000 laptops for local teachers.

The Department of Education has not made any formal statement on graduations. Officials modified requirements, including community service hours and laboratory hours, to help students complete their semesters.

Despite the challenges, Del Valle hopes to see his sons graduate alongside their classmates.

"That's our greatest dream," she said, "to see them wearing their graduation gowns and caps."Want to read more? Catch the latest news here: