A strong gust of wind rushes into the school, and the students throw themselves on the ground and protect their heads with their hands: this is the protocol in case shooting in one of the most violent areas in Venezuela.
Three young men are constantly tapping on a sheet of tin to simulate shots during routine exercises.
From the first grade of elementary school to the last grade of high school, your peers react quickly. Some in the halls; others, in the corridors and courtyard of the Manuel Aguirre school, in the gigantic Petare favela complex, in Caracas, where crime and drug trafficking they hit hard.
A few days ago there was executions between the gangs that forced the temporary suspension of classes.
The drill takes about 20 minutes, during which the brass does not stop ringing. He caught a class of the youngest in the sports class when they were playing with some kind of hoops. Once on the ground, they crouch at the “safe spot” marked on the wall.
There are children who scream while curled up on their stomachs and also cover their ears with their hands.
The bell rings three times to close the protocol, which will be repeated in two months. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) taught at this and other schools in Fe y Alegría, a religious educational organization that serves the masses.
“Just as we teach reading and writing, we must give children the tools to protect themselves and apply them at home,” Janet Maraima, director of Manuel Aguirre, which has 900 students, told AFP.
“I’m afraid to go to school”
The school is in the March 24 sector of La Bombilla, among an endless number of open zinc-roofed brick houses that intrude into the mountain, connected by alleys and stairs. violence It is so common that there are children who, with terrifying normality, distinguish between a pistol shot and a rifle shot, or the distance from which the shot comes.
“This is a dangerous area,” says Breilis Breidenbach, a 16-year-old high school student. “Sometimes I’m afraid to come to school.”
According to the Venezuelan Observatory of Violence, Petar had 80 violent deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022, given the lack of official figures. This is more than double the already alarming national figure of 35.3, which is six times the global average.
At the Jesús Maestro school, also run by Fe i Alegria, in Petara, sister Marisela Mujica lead the prayer
“We have had a very busy week, going to pray for the world,” he instructs students lined up in the yard. “What do we want?” he asks. “World!” – they answer.
Two gangs dispute control of the José Félix Ribas neighborhood where the school is located.
“The law puts the weapon (…), you have to fight so that the child does not see it in this way,” the nun told AFP.
Jesus Maestro has 722 students from preschool And elementary educationand when there is tension, even 200 will not come.
There are families who have been hit by bullets and are afraid to leave the house or are even involved in the situation.
And teachers are afraid. Some are forced to retire for mental health reasons.
“You never get used to the staff, you live with this constant care,” says its director, Sister Yvonne Gonzalez. “It’s like finding a school in the Wild West.”
“Keep calm”
Similar protocols exist in countries with high levels of violence, such as Brazil or Mexico.
Rio de Janeiro, also dominated by neighborhoods drugs spreading or militias, has used them since 2009 in more than 1,500 schools. “It is very important that the school is ready to live in such an environment. I hope one day this will no longer be necessary,” Renan Ferreirinha, the municipal secretary for education, told AFP.
And such devices were also developed in the Mexican states. Baja California Sur or Zacatecas.
“The most important thing is to learn the procedure,” says Sister Yvonne.
The student told him that he had fallen into a trap. shooting outside, he says. “What did you do?” – he asked. “Throw me to the ground and get under the car.”
V School of Manuel Aguirre They found gunshot marks, although there were no reports of clashes during school hours.
Worst luck ran Master of Jesus, where three weeks ago shots were heard in broad daylight. One teacher, who was a novice, made a mistake and led the students into a vulnerable area.
The incident served to strengthen the procedure. sister Marisela He stops at every room to make sure everyone is ready in case of an emergency.
It begins with the question, “What should we do first?”
The girl correctly answers, “Keep calm.”
AFP
Source: RPP
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