Governor touts 2nd ‘Quiero Mi Escuela’ back-to-school launch

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón helped ring in the start of the school year Thursday morning at the Bonifacio Alvarado Second Unit School in Orocovis, a bilingual school that has achieved a high ranking based on its academic achievement and standardized exam results. (Facebook via Jenniffer González Colón)

All island public schools open for a new semester

By THE STAR STAFF

As Puerto Rico’s public school students began a new academic year on Thursday, Gov. Jenniffer González Colón declared  that “Quiero mi escuela” (I Want My School), her initiative to mobilize the entire central government for back-to-school preparations -- once again proved effective, ensuring all schools were open and ready for the start of classes.

The governor rang in the start of the school year at the Bonifacio Alvarado Second Unit School in Orocovis -- which was ranked the number 17 school in Puerto Rico out of 497 elementary schools, based on its academic achievement and results on the CRECE exams -- alongside the school’s principal, José Aponte, Orocovis Mayor Jesús Colón Berlingeri, Education Secretary Eliezer Ramos Parés, Public Buildings Authority Director Félix Lasalle and Transportation and Public Works Secretary Edwin González Montalvo, among other executive branch officials and legislators.

At the K-through-8 bilingual school, the governor, joined by students, announced the start of construction on a basketball court, a project that represents a $427,598 investment in commonwealth funds and will provide the campus with a modern, covered facility featuring bleachers, lighting and improved amenities to support the students’ athletic and recreational development.

“We launched the bilingual schools program in January 2025 with 36 schools; as of August of this year, we now have 119,” González Colón said. “The goal is to gradually bring all schools into this program and improve proficiency in English, mathematics, and all other subjects. If we want our children and young people to graduate with the tools to compete, we must prepare them better.”

The governor added that “people often think bilingual schools are only for the metropolitan area, but that is not what we are doing.”

“We are bringing them to the mountain regions, the west, the south, and across the entire island,” she said. “I believe it is time for a change -- the mountain regions have the right to the best schools in Puerto Rico, just like the rest of the island.”

The Department of Education reported that 100% of schools were open Thursday; instances where schools lacked electrical power were due to issues involving grid operator LUMA Energy, the agency said. That was the case at the school visited by the governor, which was not originally on LUMA’s planned outage schedule but was notified of the interruption early Thursday.

González Colón did not see the short-notice power cut at Bonifacio Alvarado as a coincidence, but rather accused LUMA of interrupting electrical service during the event because she was present, and she asserted that the government has a transition plan and potential companies interested in replacing the operator.

“Cutting the power here just because I’m here -- and I’m sure they’ll turn it back on once I leave -- is typical of people out to cause trouble rather than help or collaborate,” González Colón said in response to questions about the litigation challenging the extension of LUMA’s contract.