Parents From 25 Rural Schools Marched on the Governor's Office — Their Kids Are Learning Under Collapsing Ceilings

"We're Forgotten by the Authorities"

Parents from at least 25 rural public schools across Cuenca gathered outside the Gobernación del Azuay this week, holding signs that read "Por una educación digna y libre" — For a dignified and free education.

Their message was simple: hundreds of children are attending school in buildings that are literally falling apart, and nobody in charge seems to care enough to fix it.

The Schools Are in Rough Shape

The stories from individual schools paint a picture of systematic neglect:

Unidad Educativa Miguel Díaz Cueva (Challuabamba) — A classroom wall has had a growing crack since 2022. What started as a one-centimeter fissure has expanded progressively. Students still attend class in that room.

Unidad Educativa San Gabriel (Chaucha) — Parents traveled four hours from this remote parish to join the protest. Carlos Criollo, a father at the school, said families have been holding raffles to raise money for paint and door replacements, but they can't afford the bigger repairs like deteriorating roofs. "We're forgotten by the authorities," he said. "No matter how many raffles we hold, we don't have enough money."

Escuela Gonzalo S. Córdova (Llacao) — The basketball hoops literally fell off and are unusable. Diana Sinchi, president of the parents' committee, says roof and wall repairs would cost about $5,000 — money they don't have. About 200 students attend this school.

Unidad Educativa Nulti — According to parent Rocío Sumba, this school hasn't received any government intervention in approximately 20 years. She's worried about a deteriorating wall that, if it collapses, would fall directly onto classrooms and playground areas.

Escuela Manuel Guerrero (El Valle) — Andrea Fajardo says her five-year-old daughter attends a school that doesn't meet minimum safety standards.

2,000+ Students at Risk

Patricio Aucay, representing parents from multiple rural schools, put the scope in perspective: more than 2,000 students are exposed to structural risks across these schools.

"A cracked wall can collapse at any moment," he warned. "We don't want a tragedy to happen before anyone reacts."

The affected schools are spread across the parishes of San Joaquín, Chaucha, Nulti, Cumbe, and El Valle.

The Money Is There — But Nobody Can Spend It

Here's the frustrating part. The Municipality of Cuenca says it actually has the budget ready to go.

Romeo Moncayo, director of the city's project execution unit, confirmed that $1 million is allocated for 2026 to repair 25 to 30 schools — covering roofs, bathrooms, ceilings, and patios. Last year, the city spent $712,000 improving 18 schools.

Technical assessments have already been completed at 25 institutions. So what's the holdup?

The municipality needs the Coordinación Zonal de Educación (the regional Ministry of Education office) to sign a cooperation agreement (convenio) authorizing the work. That signature has been pending for two months.

The zonal coordinator, Marcela Villavicencio, did not respond to requests for comment from El Mercurio.

What Needs to Happen

The path forward is clear:

1. The Ministry of Education needs to sign the convenio with the Municipality of Cuenca
2. The Municipality can then deploy the $1 million already budgeted
3. Construction begins on the 25-30 schools that have already been assessed

The money is there. The assessments are done. The only thing missing is a signature. Meanwhile, kids are sitting under ceilings that might not hold up through another rainy season.

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Sources: El Mercurio, CuencaHighLife