Paraguay: High School Students Join National Education March

​Paraguay’s high school students are gearing up for the National Student March for Education in the country’s capital Asunción on Friday demanding improvements to Paraguay's education system.

“We as young students, are worried and we want the political officials to invest more in education, which is the mechanism to develop our country. Under the current education system we are headed backwards and we want this to stop,” student leader Gabriel Zarate said.

An estimated 6,000 students, along with educators from Paraguayan teacher unions, will take to the streets prompting the government to deploy an additional 1,000 police forces to monitor Friday’s demonstrations.

In 2015, the United Nations’ Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s conducted a test known as TERCE, which assesses students throughout the region in various subject areas.

Paraguay registered the second lowest score in the region.

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A statement issued by Paraguay’s National Federation of High School Students (FENAES) declared that it is requesting the government increase overall investment in education from 3 to 7 percent of total Gross Domestic Product, as recommended by UNESCO.

The other demands listed include school lunches, improved infrastructure and the institutionalization of teacher training programs.

In response, Paraguay’s Minister of Education Marta Lafuente issued comments earlier this week calling on dialogue with the students.

“As the minister of education and on behalf of the government, we maintain that education must be the most important agenda item for our country and therefore we are welcoming dialogue with the students.” Minister Lafuente stated.