School Time

Guatemala is just starting a new año escolar (the school year)! San Martin and most of the aldeas started school last Monday. The school year starts in January and ends in late October, early November. Which would you like better, starting school in August or starting in January?

The beginning of the school year is very similar to the beginning of the school year in the United States. Before school starts you have to go register and pay to start the school year. You also have to buy all your supplies. The markets here are full of notebooks, pencils, paper, colored pencils, erasers, and book bags. There is one big difference, they also have to buy uniforms. The schools in the cities require students to wear uniforms, even public schools. Would you like to have to wear a uniform at school?

Another big difference is that students only go to school half day. They start school at 7:30 in the morning and get out at 12:30! Why do you think this is? The reason is that many schools, especially in rural areas do not have enough teachers to teach all of the students at one time, so they have to split the day in half. They teach half of the students in the morning and the other half in the afternoon. Another reason is that many areas do not have enough money to pay the teachers full time so they only pay them half time. The final reason is that many students, mainly boys, have to help with whatever harvest or planting is taking place.

All most all of the aldeas have a school, but that school normally only goes up to fifth or sixth grade. After this students either do not go to school or they have to come into the bigger cities to go to school, that means up to an hour bus ride or 2 or 3 hour walk! Many children, especially girls, out in very rural areas only reach 3rd or 4th grade or do not even go to school. I am working with many people who cannot sign their name so they have to use their thumb print. Do you think that you could be successful in the United States with only a 3rd or 4th grade education?

I am working on certifying my farmers with Fair Trade, which a type of certification that makes sure small farmers around the world receive fair prices so that they can make a living. One of the rules in order to be certified with Fair Trade is that you have to show that your children are in school and attending on a regular basis in order to receive the Fair Trade price. This is helping keep kids in school longer and receive a better education so that they may one day be able more successful!

You should realize that you are very lucky to have to opportunity to go to school all the way through 12th grade. I know that some of you, maybe even most of you do not like school but many students here in Guatemala would love “to HAVE to go school everyday!” Stay in school and work hard because there is a Guatemalan kid that would love to have what you have!