Around 200,000 children in initial, primary and basic education in all public schools in Nueva Esparta will be affected by the imminent elimination of the School Food Program (PAE, Programa de Alimentación Escolar).
By Dexcy Guedez
The teachers union take for granted that the elimination of the aforementioned program will cause more dropouts in the public schools of Nueva Esparta.
Jesús Quijada, General Secretary of the Venezuelan Federation of Teachers, Nueva Esparta Chapter, regretted the decision on the elimination of the PAE, since he considers that it helped in some measure in the nutrition of some children of lower income families.
“The decision affects both the students of the public schools dependent on the Ministry for Education, as well as those of the state governorship,” said Mr. Quijada.
He insisted that even with the PAE not working as it should be, because most of the time it does not include protein that guarantees a balanced diet for the children as many of them attend school just to eat the meals they were given.
The representative of this Nueva Esparta State teachers association also regretted that the year is about to close for the coming December holidays and the public schools on the islands of Margarita and Coche still have not been refurbished by the Ministry for Education.