Between hope and calling lives Dulce Navarro, 54, a special education teacher who celebrates more than 20 years of being part of the Venezuelan educational system.
Many Venezuelan teachers must hold multiple jobs to meet their most basic needs. The Voice of America visited with 54-year-old teacher Dulce Navarro to learn about her daily reality.
By Fabiana Rondon / vozdeamerica.com
The Voice of America caught up with a Venezuelan teacher to learn more about her daily life.Navarro has 4 jobs, two of which are as a special education teacher in mainstream public schools, where she goes throughout the week. After taking two public transports and walking a kilometre, it takes him an hour to reach there from his home.The teacher works in the mornings at the El Paují school, located on the old Guerra Highway, about an hour from her home.Navarro avoids going out at dawn because of the insecurity in the area where he lives, in the Caracas city center. He usually waits until 6:30 in the morning to start his day.Their day passes in this institution until the afternoon, when they have to walk to the Juan Pablo el de Fe y Alegría school to do their work in the afternoon, five days a week. In addition to being experts at these two institutions, he also provides support to the other school when children require diagnosis. His third steady job is on Tuesdays and Thursdays at a public school in which he lacks expertise.Once her work ends at 5:30 pm, Dulce has to make the same return journey. He prays that he will not have to face congestion on the road and will be able to reach home on time for his next job.Navarro explains that his four jobs allow him to earn the equivalent of about $163.Navarro assures that when the salary is only enough to eat, going on a trip with your family or buying clothes is not a priority. “In 2023, by December I was not able to buy a pair of shoes, which was the only one for the whole year.”Once Navarro reaches his building, he must go not to his house, but to his neighbor’s daughter to give directed work (individual learning process), a task that takes him about 2 hours, 5 days a week.She explains, “Lately I am tired, the travel is very difficult, it is very far from my home, but this population deprived of everything needs me and every teacher in every institution, it is my responsibility to contribute. There is a way and I can’t do it.” VOA.
