Numbers from the Peruvian Ministry of Health are particularly striking: violence against children and young people and the risk of psychological problems increased by half on average in the first year of the pandemic, and the number of girls who became pregnant by 12 percent. In addition, it is estimated that the lifetime earnings of students affected by the closures will decrease by nearly 5 percent for each school year lost. This is the assumption of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in a recent report.
Overall, Peruvian students have been deprived of 10 percent of their lifetime earnings to date. Students from poor or learning-disabled backgrounds are even more affected. Equal educational opportunities are threatened, social inequality is growing.
"We were not prepared for that," says Joseito Castro, the principal of the Nicolas Copernico state school in SJL. In addition to concerns about how students were to be taught, the fear of the virus was great. Also, many teachers were worried about their livelihood, not knowing if the state would continue to pay salaries, he says.
Pamplona's stairways as streets to access houses. General view of the Pamplona Alta neighborhood, a young human settlement in the hills above Lima.
Portrait of Chandel Ampiche (9) at the entrance of her house, located in Pamplona Alta, a human settlement in Lima, Peru.
Portrait of Joseito Castro, director of the state school Nicolas Copernico in San Juan de Lurigancho. The last few weeks have been decisive as the Peruvian government authorized the return to on-site classes. Joseito is in the preparations to receive the students with limited capacity.
Detail of the dusty history and geography books, the state of abandonment of the classrooms of the Nicolas Copernico school after being closed for more than two years.
Detail of the current state of the classrooms of the Nicolas Copernico school after being closed for two years. Since 2020, when the state of emergency was declared, all schools were closed. After two years, the state of many schools is deteriorated.
The "wall of shame" built in the mid 80's that separates urban areas from human settlements.
Detail of the current state of the classrooms of the Nicolas Copernico school after being closed for two years. Since 2020, when the state of emergency was declared, all schools were closed. After two years, the state of many schools is deteriorated.
Portrait of Chandel Ampiche (9) studying in the kitchen of her home. From the beginning of the pandemic, Peru implemented very strict sanitary measures, preventing children from going to school. Classes have been virtual for two years.
Pamplona's stairways as streets to access houses. General view of the Pamplona Alta neighborhood, a young human settlement in the hills above Lima.
Portrait of Chandel Ampiche (9) at the entrance of her house, located in Pamplona Alta, a human settlement in Lima, Peru.
Portrait of Joseito Castro, director of the state school Nicolas Copernico in San Juan de Lurigancho. The last few weeks have been decisive as the Peruvian government authorized the return to on-site classes. Joseito is in the preparations to receive the students with limited capacity.
Detail of the dusty history and geography books, the state of abandonment of the classrooms of the Nicolas Copernico school after being closed for more than two years.
Detail of the current state of the classrooms of the Nicolas Copernico school after being closed for two years. Since 2020, when the state of emergency was declared, all schools were closed. After two years, the state of many schools is deteriorated.
The "wall of shame" built in the mid 80's that separates urban areas from human settlements.
Detail of the current state of the classrooms of the Nicolas Copernico school after being closed for two years. Since 2020, when the state of emergency was declared, all schools were closed. After two years, the state of many schools is deteriorated.
Portrait of Chandel Ampiche (9) studying in the kitchen of her home. From the beginning of the pandemic, Peru implemented very strict sanitary measures, preventing children from going to school. Classes have been virtual for two years.
Florence Goupil
Freelance photographer and storyteller based in Peru. National Geographic Explorer.