School Supplies

I am including a list as received from the teachers here in Chixculub. Both schools in the area are “primeria”, meaning grades 1-6. Benito Juarez has a morning program while Andreas Quintana Roo have both morning and afternoon. I work with both schools and support the morning at Benito Juarez and the afternoon at AQR.

Benito Juarez has about 150 students, 6 teachers and 1 director (principal). There is a high incidence of truancy because the parents who live along the coast cannot afford to send their kids to school every day. The round trip costs 20 pesos which for many is an impossibility.

Andres Quintana Roo has 360 students in the morning program and 170 in the afternoon. Carlos, the principal is responsible for the afternoon program. The teachers in the afternoon session have identified 40+ children as being affected by the poverty in the area.

There is also a high incidence of family alcoholism and abandonment. Many of the children come to school without proper nutrition, clothes, shoes or supplies.

The families are expected to pay as much as they can for the uniforms but many are unable to do so. Average cost of a uniform is about 150 pesos.

The following is a list of basic supplies that have been identified by the teachers:

  • poster paper
  • colored pencils
  • scribblers
  • white bond paper
  • markers for the teachers
  • a way to get the kids to school on a regular basis
  • backpacks
  • pens
  • didactic material for teachers
  • first aid kit for the phys ed teacher