In Venezuela, economic crisis leaves children out of school

Schools practically deserted. This was the scenario encountered on Monday, the 17th, by most public school teachers in Venezuela. The date marked the beginning of the school year, when more than 7.6 million students should start classes in more than 30,000 schools, including 5,000 private institutions.

Before the economic crisis that plagues the country, the numbers were low, even lower than expected. According to the teachers, classes traditionally take a few days to get into full swing. However, the number of absentees exceeded expectations.

The country's economy is experiencing the worst days in its history. The main source of income for the State is oil and with the drop in the price of a barrel on the international market, the socialist economic system fell into ruins. Millions of Venezuelans cannot even afford to buy food. Many others are seeking better living conditions in neighboring countries.

One of the areas most affected by student dropouts was the rural region of Caucagua, about 75 kilometers from the capital, Caracas. The Miguel Acevedo primary school has 65 students enrolled, but only three attended the first day of class.

The low performance of the school, according to the managers themselves, is justified by the absence of students. This absence, in turn, is caused by the impossibility of buying even the most basic items, such as food. Others such as pencils, school uniforms and books are unimaginable for the average citizen.

The food provided by the State in schools is the only meal for many children, who have nothing to eat at home. However, the situation of educational institutions is not different from residences. There is no electricity and the water supply is precarious.

Another limitation is the constant decay that public transport goes through. Without it, there is no delivery of basic products, nor the possibility for children to go to school.

On the night of the 17th, the dictator Nicolas Maduro he stated that the school year started well. He insists on the theory that the economic crisis is caused by an economic war led by enemy countries and supported by the United States.

Showing off school materials, and stating that they are being distributed in schools, Maduro declared his desire for Venezuela to have the best education system in the world.

In other places, the situation was not different from that found in the Miguel Acevedo school. In the state of Táchira, on the border with Colombia, classes have not started because there is no electricity, sanitary conditions are inadequate, and food is insufficient.

In the city of Punto Fijo, state of Falcón, a representative of the local teachers' union reported that the Benedicto Mármol school received only three of the 365 students enrolled.