Classrooms in Chaos: Venezuelan Teachers Sound Alarm as Troubled School Year Begins
Venezuela’s 2024-2025 School Year Begins with Challenges
The president of the Venezuelan Federation of Teachers (FVM), Carmen Teresa Márquez, expressed concerns about the start of the 2024-2025 school year, citing a lack of students and teachers in classrooms as major issues.
In an interview with Unión Radio, Márquez highlighted the difficulties faced by students, including limited access to food and clothing, which hinders their ability to attend school.
“Many students have no means for their parents to provide them with food or buy school uniforms,” she emphasized, adding that the 2023 feeding plan was ineffective in most states.
Márquez reiterated the teachers’ demand for the Ministry of Education to discuss the third agreement, focusing on improving teachers’ quality of life, including nominal salary and social security. This issue has been stagnant for at least three years.
“When we attempted to discuss economic clauses, the discussion was halted, and we were told there was no money for teachers,” she said. “We presented a document to the Minister of Education outlining the requirements and needs of Venezuelan teachers and requested an urgent meeting with the Minister of Education and the Minister of Labor.”
Enrollment Numbers and Challenges
President Nicolás Maduro called for the recovery of student enrollment to “100% or more” and the improvement of educational institutions with the military community brigades (Bricomiles) and the living conditions of active teachers.
The 2024-2025 school enrollment stands at 5.5 million students across different levels (pre-school, primary, and secondary), as stated by the Minister of Education, Héctor Rodríguez.
This represents a 37% decrease compared to the 2021-2022 school year, according to the Ministry of Education’s figures. The Venezuelan Federation of Teachers and the National Association of Private Educational Institutions (Andiep) attribute the decline to migration.
Key Statistics
- 2024-2025 school enrollment: 5.5 million students
- Decrease in enrollment: 37% compared to the 2021-2022 school year
- Levels of education affected: pre-school, primary, and secondary