Leaving home to study was not an easy task for little Sophia Marcelino. Together with her classmates, the 10-year-old girl faced a real obstacle course to get to Escola Classe (EC) Estância Pipiripau, in Planaltina. Whether in the sun or in the rain, by bus or on foot, the dirt road that led to the school proved difficult to navigate with any comfort.
The bad moments Sophia experienced on the way to school remained in her memory. The old dirt track that connects the DF-245 to EC Estância Pipiripau was completely paved, to the delight of students and teachers. “Now, you can sleep on the bus and even study, it’s very peaceful,” she celebrates. “Besides, the trip to my house, in Arapoanga, became quicker. Before, it took me about 50 minutes. Today, it’s only half an hour.”
The arrival of asphalt at EC Estância Pipiripau is the work of Caminho das Escolas, a solution sought by the Government of the Federal District (GDF) to improve access to rural educational institutions. Since its creation in 2019, the program has already paved roads near 11 schools, all located in rural areas of Paranoá, Sobradinho, Planaltina, Taquari, Riacho Fundo II, Recanto das Emas and Jardim Botânico.
“We invested around R$26 million in asphalting almost 30 km of dirt roads”, calculates the deputy president of the Federal District Highway Department (DER-DF), Plínio Fragassi. “And we are awaiting the release of another R$25 million that will finance the paving of another 13.5 km, improving access to eight schools in Ceilândia, Planaltina and Gama.”
Caminho das Escolas actions are led by DER-DF, which takes care of the planning, design and execution of almost all of the paving. “Of all the works delivered to date, only one was put out to tender, as it was the paving of a very long runway”, says Fragassi. “Furthermore, every section up to 2 km long is paved by ourselves, with our own machinery and labor.”
End of problems
The dirt track that gave access to Escola Classe Estância Pipiripau might seem small to those accustomed to the comfort of asphalt – just 1.5 km separated the DF-345 from the educational institution. The short stretch, however, caused numerous inconveniences not only for the 50 students at the unit, but also for the staff and the local community. Its paving, worth R$2.5 million, was paid for by parliamentary amendments.
“I’ve been here for 26 years and I can say that the reality before the asphalt was quite precarious”, guarantees Fernanda de Paiva, one of the school’s teachers. “During the rainy season, the track became a quagmire. Many teachers had to leave their cars at Campamento 8 de Março and go here on school buses, because small cars couldn’t get through. Sometimes, even the bus would get stuck,” she recalls.
More than offering comfort to school goers, Fernanda highlights that asphalt directly influences the performance of children and teachers. “Now, students arrive at school with more willingness to learn. And we, with more desire to teach”, observes the teacher. “If access to school is difficult, the routine becomes more difficult for everyone.”
Student Yasmin Gomes, 9 years old, doesn’t even like to remember the dirt road she faced to get to EC Estância Pipiripau. “The path was very difficult. When the bus passed, kicking up dirt, there was no way… Everything was dirty. We had to sit on the dusty bench,” she says. “Now it’s super good. We get to school even faster”, she summarizes.
With information from Agência Brasília
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