June 10, 2006
Venezuela allocates 8% of its GDP for education

(National Radio of Venezuela) - "Over USD $ 160 million were allocated for the building of 88 schools that will meet a demand of 68,000 students in Venezuela (...)".

During the launching event of the 2006 Exceptional Plan for Education Infrastructure and the placing of the first Bolivarian Integrated Educative City´s first stone, in Maracaibo, Zulia state. The Venezuelan president explained that the investment for this educative center amounts to nearly USD $16 million and it will house 5,000 students.

Likewise, he assured that building the Simón Rodríguez Integrated Educative Cities, one in each state, 24 in total, will create 5,600 direct jobs, 10,000 indirect jobs and will benefit 3,000 families.

Each educative integrated center will feature soup kitchens, computer rooms, music rooms, and plastic arts workshops, among other things.

President Chávez pointed out that - thanks to the Venezuelan revolution - Venezuelan education receives 8% of the country's GDP. He also assured that this figure will increase by 2 points to 10%. He recalled that Venezuelan education's budget used to be just 2% of Venezuelan GDP.

The integrated education - backbone for the construction of the XXI Century Socialism - is highly promoted by the Bolivarian Government, which seeks to empower the Venezuelan people by providing them with the tools to acquire knowledge and human development through education.

This revolutionary turn in education will be developed in other regions of Venezuela. The First Bolivarian Integrated Educative City, located in Zulia state, will have four buildings, which are divided into educative levels: Simoncito Kindergartens and Special Education, Bolivarian Schools, Bolivarian High-Schools and Robinson Technical Schools.

President Chávez announced that these educative cities will be simultaneously built throughout the country".