PANAMA.— The Isthmian nation will resume the national literacy program based on the Cuban method Yo, sí puedo, (Yes, I can) after five years of stagnation due to a lack of support during the government of Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014), PL reported.
The current Minister of Social Development, Alcibiades Vázquez, noted that the program began in the country seven years ago but over the past five years has been in decline, to the extent that Panama has still not been declared a territory free of illiteracy.
Vázquez added that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaims a country free of illiteracy once the illiteracy rate is less than 5.0%, whereas in Panama it is currently at 5.5%.
The stall in the program is blamed on former Minister, Guillermo Ferrufino, who, according to Vázquez, focused his interests outside of the ministry and is currently being investigated for unjust enrichment.
He explained that last July they discovered the program was paralyzed and without funds, despite the fact that when it was established the budget for its implementation was around a million dollars.
Over the years the funds have been in decline while the illiteracy rate has remained static. Over the past six months, the Ministry of Social Development has succeeded in teaching about 800 people in the communities of Guna Nega and Guna Yala to read and write with the help of a small group of Cuban specialists who continue to apply the program.
Vázquez reiterated that during 2015 they plan to reactivate the Yo, sí puedo program with a budget of $700,000 and the goal of teaching about 3,000 people how to read and write.
