From my letter in the BECA February Newsletter. You can subscribe here.
Point #2. Our marketing efforts to attract scholarship candidates in Masaya in January bombed. Only 20 applications. Our goal was 100.
Are points #1 and #2 related?
There is an argument that they might be. Here's how.
The reality is not that many kids finish high school in Nicaragua. Especially those that come from "el campo" (rural communities.)
My perception is that those that do finish believe that they deserve better than a "lowly" technical school.
It's understandable. Aren't we a little snobbish about universities vs. technical schools in Canada and the U.S. too? I believe we are.
So why should these young people be any different?
And why should they listen to some gringo who shows up and preaches to them that a technical school will serve them better? (And he went to university, too!)
For the record, after three years here I haven't changed my mind. I still believe very strongly that a technical school makes more sense.
I'm just not sure anymore if it is really up to me to make that decision for them.
Hi Walter,
ReplyDeleteI have just come across your organization and I think that what you are trying to do is great. I work in an agricultural technical high school just outside of Jinotega and can sympathise with some of your frustrations! Just getting people to enroll can be a challenge at times! But when you see the ones who are here learning so much and getting so much out of the experience, then that makes it all worth it!
If you are looking for scholarship candidates then you could try the north! We have had kids drop out because they needed to work to support their families, which is always incredibly frustrating.
There is a little about the school on our website: http://bastillaecolodge.com/colegio.php and you can read more about our activities here: http://teachamantofish.org.uk/tamtf-blogs/nicaragua
Best of luck with your initiative, and do drop me a line if you think we could collaborate in any interesting ways!
Rachel
Project Officer, Colegio Técnico Agropecuario La Bastilla
Las Colinas, Jinotega
Teach A Man To Fish
rachel@teachamantofish.org.uk