NRC Reshaping Education in Venezuela

NRCVenezuela’s vastly underfunded education department reflects the backwardness of the country’s primary and secondary education. In recent decades, nationwide political and economic turmoil has allowed unstable education policy to occur, causing 85% of public schools to lack internet access, 69% to suffer constant electrical shortages and 45% to go without running water. A generation of young Venezuelans are left out of the education system and these academic deficiencies could result in further pulling the population into poverty. To ensure this dismal future does not befall the nation, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), a humanitarian, nongovernmental organization based in Norway, has set up an intricate program to structurally redefine the education system in Venezuela for the good of incoming generations of Venezuelans.

NRC’s Role in Venezuela

The NRC had already identified the beginnings of a protracted crisis in Venezuela when it established its presence in 2005. In 2019, it installed an independent office in Caracas to efficiently deal with the consequences of the worsening political and economic crisis. Such steadfast commitment has made it one of the most prominent NGOs in Venezuela, with an annual budget of $10 million, which helps provide various humanitarian resources to impoverished Venezuelans.

Education Efforts

Educational possibilities are some of the prime resources the NRC provides to the Venezuelan population. The NGO’s concern with education stems from the belief that it bestows a generation of Venezuelans with productive skills that allow them to lift their entire community out of poverty. The NRC education program focuses on returning students to school after lengthy absences. Students often drop out of school due to their inability to afford education, deteriorating school infrastructure, lack of capable teachers and child labor. The NRC individually addresses these issues to ensure that the Venezuelan education system achieves progress in the right direction.

To foster a more welcoming and hygienic environment, the NRC improves the infrastructure in public schools by conducting repairs and introducing innovations that reduce overcrowding, among other things. Teachers receive training to handle high capacity classes and higher academic requirements, enriching the educational experience for Venezuelan students. Educational materials such as stationery supplies, textbooks and field trips are also provided to teachers and students alike, further improving the quality of education and making it more affordable for Venezuelans from impoverished households.

Political Collaboration and Impact

The NRC also works at a political level, collaborating with the Ministry of Education to establish a long term plan to reform primary and secondary education and to ensure student displacement challenges are addressed in Venezuela. Additionally, the NRC provides humanitarian resources such as food, water and livelihoods to the people of Venezuela alongside educational opportunities. Its WASH program has provided water security to more than 37,000 Venezuelans in both private and public spaces, particularly public schools. 

Ultimately, the NRC educational program has helped more than 11,000 Venezuelan children return to school. However, that is only about a fraction of the 1.5 million out-of-school children in the country. Since their work has been so productive in such a short period, NGOs like the NRC deserve more funding from states like the United States (U.S.) to bolster their efforts at reforming education in Venezuela, allowing even more children to learn skills that can lift them out of burgeoning poverty.

Looking Forward

The NRC has been persistent in its efforts, as evidenced by an increase in its funding to $10 million in November 2023. While its path forward has been slow and incremental at times, the organization’s commitment to lifting Venezuelans out of poverty serves as a humanitarian model for similar NGOs.

– Parth Mishra
Photo: Flickr