Classes Suspended at Peñuelas School After Septic Tank Overflow; Parents Decry Slow Response by SLEP Valparaíso

A serious public health incident unfolded on Monday, October 13, at Teniente Julio Allende School in Peñuelas, Valparaíso, after an overflowing septic tank contaminated the schoolyard with fecal waste. By Tuesday the problem persisted, and classes were effectively suspended as many parents chose not to send their children to the campus.

\»We have decided not to expose our children to a situation that poses an evident health risk,\» parents said in an initial statement, demanding that authorities \»fully empty the septic tank and carry out a complete sanitization of the affected area to ensure minimum hygiene and safety conditions for our students and the entire school community.\»

By 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday—more than 24 hours after the emergency—residue was still visible in the schoolyard despite the work of crews sent to service the septic system.

\»Today at 3:30 p.m., the vacuum truck returned to the campus to empty the septic tank. The crew showed concern and worked to avoid leaving residue, completing the emptying. However, traces of feces remained in the schoolyard, again jeopardizing the facility’s sanitation and our children’s safety,\» the parents added.

They also questioned that \»although a representative from SLEP was due at 3:00 p.m., no one showed up at the school. To this moment, SLEP staff have not provided a formal response to parents or the leadership team.
Only a public statement has been issued, and it is misleading—something we consider unacceptable.\»

\»It should be clarified that classes were not suspended by SLEP; it was we, the parents, who kept our children home due to the lack of sanitary conditions. To date, the affected area has not been sanitized, so the health risk still persists,\» said parents from Teniente Julio Allende School.

From the Regional Council, Valparaíso councilor Paula Rosso said, \»This could have been avoided. Once again we are seeing negligence and a lack of management in addressing the needs of a school community that has suffered repeated consequences due to failures by the public education service.\»

\»Previously, the school was already forced to suspend classes over other serious issues, and now it has to interrupt planned activities again for something that could have been anticipated,\» added councilor Paula Rosso.

This is not the first time the Peñuelas school has faced problems linked to poor infrastructure and substandard management by SLEP Valparaíso (the Local Public Education Service). In July, the service failed to resolve an electrical fault before students returned from winter break, despite earlier assurances.

The disruption affected regular classes and the delivery of Junaeb lunches. Read more:

\»SLEP Valparaíso Failed to Deliver\»: Teniente Julio Allende School in Peñuelas Still Had No Power After Winter Break

More news about Peñuelas:

Valparaíso: Management Committee for the La Campana–Peñuelas Biosphere Reserve Reactivated

El Ciudadano