After the march: parents will have a hearing with the Municipal Council and will ask for more security in schools

After a massive march through the center of the city, parents managed to meet with the municipal councilors of Santa Cruz de la Sierra to make them aware of their demands related to security and education in schools, due to the fact that in recent weeks there have been reports of acts of sexual assault and abuse against students.

The president of the Council, Gabriela Garzón, reported that they met with the protesters for more than an hour, during which time they listened to their demandsamong which is the installation of more surveillance cameras and the presence of municipal gendarmes as a safeguard measure.

Garzón said that the Council’s Education, Culture and Sports Commission will receive parents in a public hearing Thursday June 29 at 10:00.

Likewise, he promised to extend the invitation to this audience to representatives of the Municipal Secretary of Human Development and the Department of Education, so that the demands of the neighbors can be met.

After the president of the Council confirmed the meeting, the parents of family decided to conclude with their demonstration and be present this Thursday to make their concerns and needs heard in search of a solution.

During the march, Pedro Rivera, general secretary of the Federation of Civic Neighborhood Councils, criticized the constant deficiencies in the educational units and demanded a good use of taxes to cover educational needs.

“We need the Municipal Government, with the money from the neighbors, to adequately care for our children. The mayor only made campaign promises and is not fulfilling them. We are on the street demanding that he work for Santa Cruz and stop being on vacation,” said Rivera.

The demands include the incorporation of psychologists in educational units, the installation of surveillance camerasfree internet access in schools, a new healthy and nutritious school breakfast, as well as increased safety for students.

“We want security for our children, we no longer trust sending them to educational units. They are endangering our children. The student community is at risk, Mr. Edwin Huayllani (Education Department Director), you are also responsible for the student population,” said Jackeline Díaz, interim president of the District 10 parents’ board.

For his part, from the Santa Cruz Mayor’s Office, the director of Technology, Jhonny Antelo, stated this morning that the mayor promised to provide 10,260 surveillance cameras for the 513 units educational institutions of the municipality before the end of his administration.