San Jose, June 20 (Prensa Latina) Thousands of university students from public centers in Costa Rica today called for improvements in the institutions and the allocation of the constitutional budget allocated each year for this education.
The protesters followed two routes: the first from the Parque de la Merced in the center of the capital and the second from the University of Costa Rica (UCR) in San Pedro to reach the entire Parque de la Democracia in front of the seat of the Legislative Assembly.
The students were joined by teachers and unions, student organizations and associations, representatives of education and health unions, and social and left-wing parties.
For the young José Zelaya, head of the Popular Vanguard Party’s agitation and propaganda department, the march unites all organizations and not only calls for public university education.
“We call for respect for the constitutional mandate that eight percent of gross domestic product (GDP) must be devoted to education in general, from primary to secondary,” he said in statements to Prensa Latina.
Since last week, various sectors of the education system have jointly announced their positions against the actions of the Ministry of Public Education, which wants to amend this budget and transfer it to the Ministry of Security to fund part of the Costa Rica Segura program.
After the end of the demonstration, MP Rocío Alfaro from the Frente Amplio (FA) group broadcast a video on the networks summarizing the party’s position on this student action.
The FA joined the organizations denouncing the government’s failure to meet state budget commitments for education, he said.
It was important to join us because education is the backbone of society’s rule of law. If we want real development and a sovereign country, we need to invest in education.
“It gives us hope to see the people of Costa Rica and all the sectors that have joined,” he said.
npg/alb