Private schools facing significant exodus of students ... parents out of work

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

According to Chamber of Private Schools president, Octavio De Lamo, private schools are passing through a critical situation because a lot of parents are several months in arrears because of the national stoppage, which the Chamber backed to the hilt, and because many parents now find themselves out of work. 

"I have been meeting with directors throughout Venezuela to gauge the situation ... in February, 70% of parents were in arrears owing to the national stoppage and that included parents, who before were punctual in payments." 

De Lamo says many parents are now paid up and others have re-financed their debt ... "at the moment 50% are fully up to date with payments and others have reached an arrangement."  

Since January,  private school directors have reported an exodus of students between 10-15%, partly because parents cannot afford to keep their children in private schools and partly because some have emigrated. The Chamber has announced that it will conduct a deeper study into the current situation to discover exactly how many students have abandoned private schools. 

Apart from the difficulty of payment, De Lamo comments that some parents have unfortunately taken advantage of the situation not to pay school fees. "What is important is to create conscience and keep schools open at subsistence level." 

The Chamber president has called on parents to go to the school and state their economic problems ... "installments and special arrangements can be agreed upon ... it is time for mutual solidarity."