School is in Session!
By
School is in session, oh wait, school is always in session at Semillas de Amor. However, mid January started the new school year in Guatemala. At Semillas the kids go to school year round, from 8am to 4PM, other than academics, the kids take swimming, music and art lessons. They have a very busy schedule and are eager learners.
This photo is of a school in rural Guatemalaand not at Semillas de Amor.
A few facts about the Guatemalan public school system: 3.3 million children began the 2012 school year, 33,000 public schools opened this week with fewer than 150,00 teachers. There are 100,000 more students this year than last. There are 10,000 more classrooms needed. 90% of education funds are destined for administration. 175 schools have been destroyed by tropical storms and mudslides and some are in areas too dangerous for children to go to school. 600 schools suspended classes, the first day of school, because of damage to the schools. There are no textbooks for the children. When we talk about public schools in Guatemala we talk about very simple classrooms, if lucky, construction of cement block and often dirt floors, forget the libraries, computer labs and a quality education. Most of the children who attend public schools suffer from chronic malnutrition. Basically the child’s mind and body are slowly starving.
The goals in the next few years, at Semillas de Amor, is to begin accepting children into our school that come from the poorest families in our rural area. We don’t plan on having a large school but a school that offers children a quality education through high school and then help these children to either go on to college or a career. We want to open the door of possibilities for these children, as we have done for the children at Semillas de Amor. Needless to say, this will take planning, some infrastructure changes and funding. We will keep you up to date on our progress. It is an exciting project and one that is desperately needed.
The public school system in Guatemala does not provide any hope, any future and certainly no preparation for studying in the university. It will take a very long time, if ever, to change the public school system. At Semillas de Amor we want to be part of opening previously closed doors for many children, feed their minds, with food and ideas and help change lives.
“Education costs money, but then so does ignorance.”
– Sir Claus Mose