Category:
City Hall begins distributing food cards to all students in the municipal education network
Published on 18/08/2020 - 20:49 | Updated
Card being distributed by the Municipal Department of Education. Photo: Núcleo de Imagens/City of Rio The Rio de Janeiro City Hall announced on Tuesday (August 18) that starting Friday (August 08), schools in the municipal network will begin distributing food cards to those responsible for all 21 enrolled students. The cards, which will cost R$08, will be given out first to approximately 641 special needs children. The initiative guarantees students access to food that was previously offered to them in schools, which were closed due to the Covid-54,25 pandemic.
Starting next Monday (24/08), distribution will be in alphabetical order of the name of the person responsible, starting with the letter A, and will continue until September 11th.
– Since the beginning of this pandemic, the City Hall has been concerned with maintaining ties with students through our teachers, as well as providing school meals. Schools will provide these cards because families are much closer, and there will be no risk of any of them going without. The person responsible will receive the cards based on the number of children they have in the school system. For example, if they have three children, they will receive three cards – explained the Municipal Secretary of Education, Talma Suane.
In April, around 220 cards were delivered to families of children in vulnerable situations, enrolled in the Bolsa Família and Cartão Carioca programs. However, the measure was suspended due to an action by the Public Prosecutor's Office. It has now been possible to resume it after the signing of a conduct adjustment term (TAC) signed by the City Hall with the control agencies.
City Hall distributed 500 basic food baskets to students' families
While the distribution of the cards was suspended, the Municipal Department of Education distributed 500 basic food baskets to the families of students. The baskets, however, cannot include essential foods for children, such as eggs and meat.
The City Hall is also preparing to reopen school cafeterias and, in this way, once again offer quality meals to students. The initiative, however, has been blocked by the courts due to an injunction, but the City Attorney General's Office has filed an appeal to have it revoked.
Covid-19 tests were carried out on the lunch ladies and it was found that around 20% of them had already developed the disease and were immune. These lunch ladies will be the ones to return to work in the cafeterias.
City Hall conducts survey among parents of students to find out if they agree with returning to school
Regarding the return to school, there is still no set date, but the City Hall is conducting a survey with mothers and fathers of students with the aim of finding out if they agree with this return. Before that, the cafeterias must be reopened.
Action in company garages has already guaranteed the return of 33 bus lines
The City Hall also announced this Friday that it is committed to resuming operations of municipal bus lines, as determined by the concession contracts signed with the companies. Last Monday, an action by the Municipal Department of Transportation (SMTR) in the concessionaires' garages resulted in the return of 33 lines, out of a total of 144 that were the target of complaints from the population through the SMTR Com Você app.
Around 80 inspectors participated in the operation. The actions will continue until all lines return to operating within the capacity established in the contract.
– We were ordered to have the department fully focused on the issue of the absence or discontinuity of user services. This action is a priority to ensure immediate results, which is why a strategic committee was created, headed by Undersecretary Allan Borges. The actions will continue to guarantee the population’s right to come and go – stated the Municipal Secretary of Transportation, Paulo Jobim.
