Public schools begin the school year, what is the outlook?

Venezuela officially began the 2024-2025 school year in public schools this Monday, where over the weekend packages for students were organized, with uniforms and supplies for more than two million students, reported the Minister of Education, Héctor Rodriguez.

For the new school year, the government distributed more than 3,000 freezers in schools throughout the country, to guarantee the proper storage of the products of the School Feeding Program (PAE), the official indicated on his Instagram account.

He recalled that the work plan is focused on strengthening the PAE in its logistical capacity (distribution and storage), increasing the attention of students and teachers, and improving the menu for a more balanced diet, one of the most repeated complaints by parents and students in recent years.

Days before the beginning of the 2024-2025 period, Rodríguez called on the directors of public schools “to work together with the same method and plan to recover the material conditions of the Venezuelan teacher.”

As part of this recovery, the official signed an agreement with the Ministry of Housing to prioritize attention to teachers in the construction and rehabilitation of their homes.

Claim for salary improvement

However, the demand of teachers, who regularly organize protests to demand that their rights be fulfilled, focuses on improved salaries and working conditions.

On the occasion of the beginning of classes, organizations warned that the minimum conditions are not met for teachers to be able to exercise their profession regularly and adequately, since due to low salaries they are forced to work on other tasks that prevent them from full dedication. to teaching.

The Network for the Rights of Girls, Boys and Adolescents (Redhnna) said that the school year begins “marred by difficulties generated by the State, which until now does not prioritize access to the right to education of children and adolescents.” .

“We insist that education in Venezuela ceases to be a privilege to which few can access (…) and that each child and adolescent receives quality education,” stated the Redhnna through x.

The Center for Documentation and Social Analysis of the Venezuelan Federation of Teachers (Cendas-FVM) calculated that the average salary of a teacher per month is about 21 dollars at the official exchange rate, which it considers insufficient to cover the cost of the basic food basket. calculated in August by the organization at $107.8 per person.