Artículo de Sara Sánchez Malaver, alumna de 4º ESO-C

                                                            Education in Venezuela

What are the likely causes and what could be done to tackle the problems of rudeness, inappropriate and language and violence in Venezuelan schools?

Venezuela’s political and economic crisis has become an increasingly serious issue that has impacted education as much as other aspects of life. Since the country has become more unstable, education has been impacted by the worsening of life quality.

The overall economic crisis affects society and how it perceives the world. Education is no longer at the top of Venezuelan’s priorities. As the country falls into anarchy, violence becomes widespread, which then translates to young people and schools. Teenagers are losing faith in the system and respect for elders and authority figures: around them there is only chaos. The same way security corps and governments don’t follow the rules, they lose discipline around their educational path. Due to the ubiquitous rudeness reigning over their lives, young people don’t feel the urge or the obligation to show politeness or admiration.

The entire country deteriorates towards a culture of laziness. The extent of the problem is the absence of motivation and goals to work hard and passionately. Without bigger objectives to aspire to, teenagers truly don’t care about education anymore.

This situation translates into the classrooms. No respect for teaching means treating everything related to the educational system more aggressively. Lesser faith in education means lesser will to respect it and to keep it working.

The true solution lies next to the problem: by educating children. The students need to understand that education is not only a part of their duties, but also a privilege, which can open many door and opportunities for them. Within their homes and families, teenagers must learn to appreciate their educational system, even though it is severely broken: as little as there is left, something will always be better than nothing.

The entire country must make an active effort to remind everyone who ever doubts that education is a tool which shall improve our vision of the world and understanding for each other. Teachers can’t slow down their pace and must continue with their labour no matter how hard it gets. The rest of us need to support them and to fight against ignorance and violence. Rudeness and impoliteness shall be fixed as long as Venezuelans believe in education as a fundamental foundation of our country and our progress.

The media and the newspapers ought to fight and to remind those who might have forgotten that schools are the future. Programs should be created that encourages young people to study and to actually enjoy it; they must see every class as a chance to improve their life. They need motivation amongst all the shadows that darken their future. The elders need to believe in education, so that their children can too.

Finally, teachers shall keep going on with their duty. They shall fight with all of their weapon, their knowledge and idea so the younger can appreciate their labour and benefit from it.

And they shall believe, even though it might be a blind hope, that they are making a difference. We need then. They shall keep believing because with no hope comes no change.