Post-COVID Education in Leticia: Challenges and Implications

The COVID-19 pandemic shocked the world in 2020, altering almost every aspect of daily life. One of the areas that suffered the most during the pandemic was the education system. As urban areas transitioned to online platforms and software, rural towns lacked the technological resources to handle internet connectivity challenges that deepened the crisis. One such example is the city of Leticia, the capital of the Amazonas Department in Colombia. Located in the southern part of the country, Leticia can only be accessed by flight or boat. In 2020, Leticia was already facing significant educational inequalities, and teachers and students alike struggled with remote learning due to the limited access to technology and internet connectivity. Established offline teaching practices were barely modified for remote learning and the crisis was aggravated when the rapid spread of COVID-19 impacted entire families and communities. Unable to work and already facing financial issues that hindered access to food and services, residents witnessed the death of loved ones and community leaders before the arrival of vaccinations. Now that in-person classes have resumed, it is worthwhile to analyze the implications of the last year´s gap in students’ learning process, the role of administrators through government initiatives, and the current challenges that teachers and students face in their new classroom reality. This article provides valuable information to understand the urgent needs of the educational community in Leticia in the Post-COVID scenario.