Floral arrangements, gowns, banquets and photographs to celebrate graduations were practically forgotten for the second year in a row, since the Covid-19 pandemic prevented the school year from concluding in person and, consequently, the events from taking place. social events to celebrate those who complete a stage in their academic life.

Since last year, the Secretary of Education ordered the suspension of graduation events at the basic level, considering that they put the health of the population at risk and since the school year, which will end on July 9, was remote, no face-to-face activities were authorized to resume until August 30, when it is planned to start the hybrid educational model.

Román Cabrera is a photographer and unlike 2019, this year he did not have a full agenda to take group photographs that serve as souvenirs for the graduates, nor was he required at the dinner dances with which the school year of high school or university students usually ends. . In his studio he has received only a couple of clients who, individually, come to hire his services.

“In the strong season we had up to two or three events every weekend, it was very saturated, today or this month we have only had two or three. The highest demand we had was in schools, we worked on graduation photos, packages and in the case of social events we covered dance dinners, the graduation event itself and then if someone had a private party, we also worked on those types of events. ", said.

He explained that before he went directly to the schools to offer his services, however now that they are closed he only has to wait for a student to come and hire him to have at least one individual photo, because it is difficult to bring groups together.

Grecia Ramos is dedicated to the sale and rental of suits, she also faces a crisis in the season that used to be the best for her business. He said that unlike in 2019, when she almost daily delivered packages of clothing to entire groups from various schools, this time he has only rented a few pieces.

"There are very few people who for pleasure come and buy a suit for graduations, because if there are no graduations, it's just: rent me a suit or a gown for a photo and that's because they ask for it at school, nothing more," he explained. .

She shared that in order to keep her business afloat she has even had to lower the prices of the clothes and she is not sure she will be able to hold out for next season, since there is a lot of uncertainty about what will happen to the classes and if next year the graduations will return to normal.

The sector dedicated to the organization of banquets is in flat zero, because according to the president of the National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (CANIRAC), Olga Méndez Juárez, the lack of face-to-face events in schools prevented that their services were required.

However, she said that restaurants have rescued at least 10 percent of the economic spill that this season generates, since in the absence of graduation dinners for entire groups of students, families choose to celebrate more intimately.

“What we have seen since June are small family gatherings for the graduations of the various grades, mostly high school or university, but they are restaurant reservations for about 20 people, whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner; It is no longer taken as an event many times but as a reservation, but it helps us somewhat”.

The also representative of the sector dedicated to banquet services, said that before the pandemic events of up to a thousand people were attended on the occasion of the end of courses and for the second time the pandemic has prevented this economic activity.

And although social events are already allowed in the state, Víctor Picazo Pérez, president of the Salones Unidos organization, said that his union did not make a profit with the end of the school year, since higher-level institutions maintained virtual events and there were no who would want to pay for massive graduation parties.

The also owner of a social hall, located in the La Paz neighborhood, said that the economic situation prevented students from seeking to organize events to celebrate graduations and for the second year, the season that left him a profit of up to 300 thousand pesos, was lost. .

“We started from the month of June, they even made us sections for both months and it was full Friday, Saturday and Sunday, every weekend, sometimes we even rented the room during the week because the clients no longer had available dates, this year already there was nothing, there has not been a single income and I doubt that there can be.

The president of the National Chamber of Commerce (CANACO), Marco Antonio Prósperi Calderón said that the businesses related to this season have had an increase of just 25 percent in their activity, unlike last year, when the entity went through the first critical stage in terms of COVID-19 infections and sales were zero because they were closed.

However, he admitted that various turns of the "graduation industry" have not been reactivated because there are no face-to-face events in the institutions and many people see the purchase of balloons or arrangements as unnecessary.

To measure the economic benefit generated by graduations, it is important to point out that each year approximately 70,000 university students graduate, since according to the National Association of Universities and Institutions of Higher Education (ANUIES), Puebla is the third entity in the country with the highest enrollment at this level.