Venezuela Provides 30 Million Free Textbooks For New School Year

An estimated 10 million Venezuelan students will return to school for the new academic year. Venezuela's Education Minister, Hector Rodríguez said, “most of our citizens are now in classrooms, this is historic.”

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Venezuela’s Education Ministry announced on Tuesday that it will provide 30 million free textbooks to elementary and junior-high students as they begin their new school year on September 15.

An estimated 10 million Venezuelan students will return to school for the new academic year. Venezuela’s Education Minister, Hector Rodríguez said, “most of our citizens are now in classrooms, this is historic.” 

He also announced that they will give 30,000 mini lap-tops Canaima each week to students all over the country. Already 3.4 million laptops have been distributed in recent years. ​Canaima is a technological and educational project that uses open-source software. It was developed by Venezuelan Government, citizens and activists.

​Rodríguez added that during the coming school year the government will  open 113 new schools. 

Teachers wil also receive a 15 percent increase in the coming fortnight, completing a 75 percent increase agreed in September 2013. 

He said that with this investment in education teachers, parents and pupils will be able to approach “the new school year with happiness”.