San Pedro de Zacapa

Education

For it's size, Zacapa has a large number of educational institutions.

In 2003, the municipality of San Pedro de Zacapa had ten kindergartens with 307 students enrolled, taken care of by thirteen teachers, all women. The biggest of these is the Espinoza Kindergarten in Azacualpa which has almost 75 children. The smallest is the Carlos Alberto Lopez kindergarten in El Mogote with just 19 students.

There are 20 primary schools with 2176 students presided over by 66 teachers. At this level students pass through first grade to ninth grade. One again Azacualpa boasts the largest Centro de Educación Básica Rafael Bardales Bueso, with almost 400 students. The smallest is the José Ernesto Muños school in the tiny community of El Encinal with 26 students.

There is just one college of higher education where 252 students are taught by 12 teachers. This technical college focuses on three basic technical skills domestic science, woodwork and agronomy.

The primary level of Education is the one that has greatest student population. Of the total of students who receive education in the levels of kindergarten and primary, 48% are female and 52% are male. In the middle level, females dominate with 53% to 47% males.

The index of illiteracy index in 1994 was 30.2%. The majority of schools lack the physical resources and support necessary to develop their educational work. Sadly 35% of the students suffer from intestinal parasites and infantile undernourishment. At the moment, of all the schools, the kindergarten and primary levels provide a basic snack that often provides children with their only meal of the day. There is also a parasite elimination vaccination given every six months sponsored by the World Food Program.

Quality of Education Index (2002)

Education Level	% Enrolled	% Droped Out	% Graduated	% Failed
Kindergarten	100%	0%	99.40%	0.60%
Primary	90.34%	9.66%	98.32%	1.68%
Secondary	62.56%	37.44%	94.20%	5.80%
General Index	84.30%	15.70%	97.30%	2.70%

The subjects where there is most failure are Spanish and mathematics in the primary level (especially in the first year) and mathematics in the secondary level.

[By Maribel Pineda - Teacher and college director ]