In pictures: Mexico school classes resume on TV

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Reuters

School lessons have resumed in Mexico but with the number of coronavirus infections still high, children will not yet return to classrooms.

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Schools were among the first institutions to close as the virus began to spread through the country in March.

As many Mexican families do not have access to the internet, classes will be broadcast on TV.

Official figures suggest 93% of homes have access to TV.

Mexico has one of the highest coronavirus death tolls in the world. Since the pandemic started, 61,450 people have died with Covid. Only the United States and Brazil have had higher death tolls.

Karina Fuentes helps her daughter Julieta, 7, during a televised class as millions of students returned to classes virtually after schools were ordered into lockdown in March, due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Chilcuautla, Hildalgo state, Mexico August 24, 2020.

The decision to teach children through televised programmes rather than online was taken because only half of Mexicans have access to the internet, and not all of those have computers.

Five-year-old Óscar Hernández (below) is one of the millions of students who tuned into the lessons.

Oscar Hernandez, 5, follows a televised class at home as millions of students returned to classes virtually after schools were ordered into lockdown in March, due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Chilcuautla, Hildalgo state, Mexico August 24, 2020.

The curriculum is meant to mirror the one that would have been taught in public schools had they not closed amid the pandemic.

Among the subjects taught is music.

Physical exercise, too, is included in the televised offering, with gold-medal-winning diver Rommel Pacheco encouraging children to stretch.

But some children prefer to stick to their own exercise regime outdoors:

Children run home to follow a televised class as millions of students returned to classes virtually after schools were ordered into lockdown in March, due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Chilcuautla, Hildalgo state, Mexico August 24, 2020.

While some parents have welcomed the resumption of classes, others say that the virtual lessons are tough on working parents.

Someone has to be present to ensure the children, especially the younger ones, tune into the right broadcast, choose the correct lessons for their age and, crucially, pay attention to the classes.

There is also homework to be done after the lessons.

Facundo Martinez reviews school work with his children after a televised class as millions of students returned to classes virtually after schools were ordered into lockdown in March, due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Chilcuautla, Hildalgo state, Mexico August 24, 2020.

Many working parents have had to enlist the help of grandparents to supervise during the TV lessons.

Seven-year-old Julieta was helped by her mother Karina (below) but not all parents can take the time to supervise.

Some parents and carers reported being confused by the schedules, which are spaced out across the day for the different grades, while others said they did not have the accompanying study materials.

The classes are being transmitted on free-to-air channels.

All pictures subject to copyright.

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