I remember stepping into my aunt’s classroom in Guatemala. I looked at all the small, worn-out desks and tried to imagine myself in them. At that moment I realized that a good education is a privilege that sadly remains out of reach for many. 

As I mentioned before, 80% of the indigenous community lives in poverty. 90% of children who live in poverty do not Graduate high school. 30% of Indigenous adults cannot read or write. The majority of the 2 million children who do not attend school are girls. The education system in Guatemala places women at an even greater disadvantage.  

Working From a Young Age

Beginning at a young age, most children in these communities start to work. Their families depend on them to help out. Several parents of these children can have little to no education themselves, so work is put above school in these households. 

It is estimated that approximately 400,000 children are workers. These boys and girls are put to do agricultural work, house work, and they are put to take care of their livestock. 

Children who drop out of school have a harder time getting stable jobs as adults and likely continue to live in their cycle of poverty.

Not Enough Resources

Teachers in these communities lack the resources that make it possible for children to learn. They don’t have access to computers and quality books. They are forced to use outdated textbooks for reading material. Students have less opportunities to learn about topics they are interested in. Because of this, many of the students quickly become bored and drop out to go work.

Additionally, many  teachers only have a high-school level education, causing them to face challenges when teaching.

Furthermore, the lack of resources makes it hard for children who do not speak spanish to actually learn spanish. Many teachers are hard on students who only speak their indigenous language.

Finding a Solution

Guatemala made Peace Accords in hopes of laying a foundation for peace after 36 years of violent conflict. Within these accords, Guatemala’s Peace Commission confirmed that education needed more funding. 

Today, Primary and Secondary schools are free to all children in Guatemala. After that, families will have to pay for their children’s schooling. Even though the primary and secondary schools remain free, the teaching resources and quality is not the same in all schools.

Yes, there is progress being made, but Guatemala still faces many challenges in their education system; Challenges that many organizations like Child Aid and Education and Hope want to help with. Organizations like these start literacy programs and even offer training so teachers can be more successful in their teaching. They donate books and offer scholarships, with their main goal being to empower children. 

I hope to see a better future for the education system in Guatemala, as many aspire to learn and to make a better future for themselves.