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PINAR DEL RÍO, November 4 (Víctor Rolando Arroyo, UPECI /
www.cubanet.org) - Primary and secondary school students in Los Palacios have to
"donate" fifty cents a month to help pay the night watchmen in the
schools or they are marked down as "non-compliant" in their permanent
school record.
The students’ contribution is supposed to be voluntary, but a notation
of "poor political attitude" in their records would compromise their
future educational opportunities.
A permanent record is opened when a student starts school and accompanies
him or her through school and later, through his working years.
Ever since the government implemented its Audiovisual Program by placing TV
sets, VCRs and computers in the schools, there has been an increase in thefts of
the equipment, which is very valuable in the black market given the difficulty
or impossibility of buying it legally. Thus, the need for night watchmen.
The teachers contribute five pesos a month from their meager salaries toward
the watchmen's pay, since the Ministry of Education holds them responsible for
the audiovisual equipment. They also have to pay for any stolen equipment.
According to the source, the production facility employed 12 workers, and
the company had 30 administrative personnel.
Versión
original en español
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