Kendal Blust/KJZZ

Jesús Quintana and his son Ethan have their temperatures taken on the first day of school at an Hermosillo preschool on Aug. 30, 2021.

Sonora’s governor has promised that all schools across the Mexican state will be ready to reopen by the beginning of next year. Many schools are facing infrastructure issues that have kept students out of classrooms.

The Sonoran government has implemented a program called “reactivate your school,” using both state funds and assistance from parents and businesses to fix up derelict buildings

Among the major needs are repairs to air conditioning, water fountains, sinks and toilets, indoor and outdoor lighting and internet and telephone connections.

In August, students across Mexico went back to in-person classes for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

But the number of students who returned to classrooms in Sonora was low — in part because many schools weren’t fit to open after being vandalized or neglected during the pandemic.

Sonora Gov. Alfonso Durazo said this week, however, that they will all be up and running by the end of the year.