PANAMA: PRIVATE ORGANIZATION GIVES TO SCHOOL WHAT

UNCLAS PANAMA 001099

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PM PREL SOCI
SUBJECT: PANAMA: PRIVATE ORGANIZATION GIVES TO SCHOOL WHAT
GOP DOES NOT


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SUMMARY
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1. (U) The Santa Rosa School-- an impoverished public school
in Ipeti, Darien Province-- inaugurated on June 15 its
kindergarten and newly installed indoor plumbing, projects
supported by the U.S.-based Panama Missions. The completion
of these efforts was yet another success for the Embassy's
People-to-People program that put an industrious teacher
searching for assistance in touch with Panama Missions, who
provided the necessary funding, supplies, and sweat equity
for this project. EMBOFFs' visit to this school provided a
snapshot of the state of public schools in rural and
impoverished areas of Panama. End Summary.


2. (U) EMBOFFs visted the Santa Rosa School in Ipeti, Darien
Province to celebrate the completion of a new kindergarten
classroom and bathroom equipped with indoor plumbing and
running water. The completion of this project was another
success story for post's People-to People program, putting a
Panamanian school in need with a U.S. charity willing to
offer a helping hand. Panama Missions, a private, Christian
charitable organization, provided about USD 2,500 and
supplies for these construction projects, after an
industrious teacher, tired of waiting for the GOP to filter
limited resources down to this remote school, approached the
director of the organization about fulfilling this need. The
Embassy facilitated this contact.


3. (U) The Santa Rosa School is a public, government-funded
school, but lacks adequate resources for upkeep and projects
such as this one. The kindegarten through sixth grade school
services an impoverished population of children from the
province, where most homes lack electricity, indoor plumbing,
and running water. A Ministry of Education facility, the
Santa Rosa School often suffers from financial deprivation as
teachers go weeks without pay and basic needs go unmet. In
spite of Panama Missions' work, the school still has no
electricity and will not have electricity until October.


4. (SBU) Comment: The condition of the Santa Rosa School is
a symptom of a larger disease that afflicts the public
schools in Panama, where funding and other resources are
often not adequately provided, frequently poorly managed, and
inadequately distributed. Corruption further contributes to
the inadequate allocation and distribution of resources.
Embassy Panama will continue to investigate issues related to
education funding.
LATTIMER