Ruined classrooms and collapsing salaries: Venezuelan education struggles amid crisis and transition

Venezuelan educators and public workers are taking to the streets again as August begins, their protests highlighting a stark reality: salaries are so low they barely cover weekly food expenses, leaving no room for a recess from hardship. This wave of demonstrations, spearheaded by the National Union Coalition and various guilds, unfolds against a backdrop of political truce at the highest levels following Nicolás Maduro's departure, yet deep uncertainty persists in daily life.

The nation's economic crisis is compounded by the visible damage from earthquakes on June 24, which further crumbled already fragile school infrastructure. With classrooms in disrepair from tremors and teachers struggling with precarious conditions, citizens are pushing for negotiations and transition processes to move beyond mere rhetoric and address the urgent needs of those unable to afford basic necessities.

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the dialogue table cannot be a black box.

Protesters, whose actions have been documented on social media by journalist Seir Contreras, are firm: dialogue must not be a black box. Their message is clear: they will not back pacts signed "behind workers' backs." This demand for transparency extends to fundamental issues like the release of political prisoners, unrestricted press access, and a complete overhaul of the National Electoral Council to call for new presidential elections. Unions believe only street pressure will ensure these demands are not lost in political agendas.

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there will be no support for pacts signed behind the workers' backs.

Meanwhile, the emergency in classrooms is both physical and daily. The education system was already fractured by a brain drain of teachers seeking better opportunities abroad and by schools falling apart due to budget shortfalls. Now, recent earthquakes have left affected areas in ruins. Reopening schools will require more than a coat of paint. In the hardest-hit states, the immediate priority is to restore destroyed services and clear access routes. Elsewhere, the usual collapse persists: lack of water, electricity, and adequate salaries for teaching.

Amidst reports of suspended salaries, workplace intimidation, and precarious hiring, rebuilding the education system involves more than just physical infrastructure. It requires offering minimum conditions so that the remaining teachers do not leave. Without basic services or livable wages, even standing walls cannot sustain education. The institutional response, facing this magnitude of collapse, aims to sway public opinion. Education Minister Héctor Rodríguez announced a maintenance plan for August to repair 1,500 schools and ensure the school year begins on September 14. This initiative includes meetings with UNESCO to establish emergency repair protocols.

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Without basic services or livable wages, no standing wall can sustain education.