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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced Wednesday the creation of nine Polytechnic universities in western states, including Maracaibo, Estado Bolivar, and Valencia.
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The announcement was made during an address during a rally for the Day of the University Student, celebrated in Venezuela every Nov. 21. The head of state also ratified an order to the relevant ministries and executive Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to promote the creation of a university student government to improve and strengthen public education for "a free and democratic Venezuela."
Venezuelan student leader also presented a list of proposals to "stregthen the rights" of students and to work for the future of the country, supporting the government. Diego Gonzalez, one of the student representatives, highlighted the need to establish students routs and transport that would make getting to school easier. Maduro delivered 100 buses during the symbolic ceremony to help fulfill the previously-approved Plan of Student Routes.
Maduro stressed that the government's scholarship programs is also designed to help the students' families and announced 20,000 scholarships for Colombian students. "You can come study in Venezuela medicine, engineering, economy, law, administration, whatever you want to study," he said.
Maduro's announcements come at a time when neighboring Colombia and Ecuador are facing student protests due to lack of necessary fund and budget cuts, respectively.
In Colombia, students have been protesting for over a month to secure the budget they need to sustain quality and deteriorating infrastructure. Earlier this week, after national mobilizations, students resumed dialogue with government authorities. However, President Ivan Duque said he would not participate in the dialogue if the students did not call off a strike and march scheduled for Nov. 28.
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