Costa Rica News – Alto Telire, Talamanca is a remote area. The indigenous culture and language is Cabécar. In this remote area, and others like it, there are typically multigrade classrooms.
The local school, Escuela de Bajo Bley, has 25 students of all ages.
The only teacher for the whole school left last September and has not returned, although he was receiving a paycheck. The Ministry of Education learned about the problem after a newspaper published the story.
The students and locals confirm that they have not been taught since classes started nationwide on February 9th and that, in fact, this has been going on since last year. The only class they receive is one about their own culture and language from a local man, Elmer Diaz Lopez.
The teacher assigned to the area submitted his resignation on March 7th, stating that it is too difficult to reach the area.
The MEP director of the area is now responsible to check that all teachers in difficult to reach zones are present in their jobs.