EDATV Teachers in Venezuela: Miserable Salaries, Hunger and Crisis
Teachers need 36 times their salary to eat, while the government ignores the crisis and inflation hits
A teacher in Venezuela needed in January the equivalent of 36 times their salary to afford the basic food basket.
According to the report from the Social Documentation and Analysis Center of the Venezuelan Federation of Teachers, the basket reached $476.82 for a family of five.
The average salary of teachers, approximately $13.30 per month, represents just 2.8% of the total cost of food.
This creates a deficit of 97.2%, forcing teachers to seek additional income to survive.
A Family Needs Almost $16 Daily
The Cendas report indicates that a Venezuelan family of five required at least $15.89 daily in January to cover food expenses.
The food basket is composed of 60 essential products, whose price continues to rise despite the inflationary slowdown reported by some independent entities.
The Venezuelan Finance Observatory (OVF) reported that January inflation closed at 7.9%. This represents a drop of 6.9 points compared to December, when the figure reached 14.8%.
The Central Bank Still Doesn't Offer Updated Data
The Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) hasn't released inflation data since October 2024, when it reported a 4% increase.
In September of that year, inflation was 0.8%, highlighting the country's economic volatility.
Since March 2022, the minimum wage has remained at 130 bolívares per month, currently equivalent to $2.
Despite additional government bonuses, which can raise income to $132 per month, purchasing power remains insufficient.
In light of this salary crisis, many teachers have opted for informal jobs or migration to improve their economic situation.
Education in Venezuela faces a deficit of professionals due to low wages, affecting the quality of the educational system.
Teachers' unions have repeatedly demanded a salary adjustment in line with inflation and the cost of living. However, the Government has kept increases frozen for almost two years.
Economic and Social Outlook
Despite the reduction in monthly inflation, the economic crisis continues to hit Venezuelans hard.
Experts warn that without structural measures to improve purchasing power and control rising prices, the situation could continue to deteriorate.
Meanwhile, teachers continue to face the dilemma of staying in the educational system with miserable wages or seeking new opportunities outside the country.
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