This Monday will begin the strike of the students of the Pancho Lasso Art School of Arrecife, which will last for three days and may become indefinite if the electricity problems persist.
Last September, with the start of the course, the power outages also began. The contracted "scarce power" and the "old installation" of the center cause the use of any electrical appliance to trip the lever. "We cannot use computers, projectors, photocopiers, tools in the workshops...", they point out. A situation that "not only affects the proper development of education", but also the "students with reduced mobility" who, "after years of waiting for the installation of the elevator, cannot use it to access their classrooms on the second floor", they report from the school.
"From the center, the information that has been given to us is scarce and confusing, we have the feeling that they are passing the buck between Endesa, the management and the involved councils," they say. The students, who have been organized for some time, have registered writings both in the school's secretary and in the Insular Directorate of Education, in addition to requesting the holding of a School Council to address the problem.
The situation, which has been going on for "a month now", affects all the teachings that are taught and is of particular concern to those who are in the second year of high school, who see how the EBAU is approaching, "we are risking our future". The second and last year of the training cycles is also complicated, since the students need to work on their final projects, which are essential to obtain the qualification. "In Clothing Modeling we cannot use sewing machines, we cannot do anything," they add.
Also in Artistic Ceramics they have seen how their pieces were damaged in the oven because the power went out in the middle of a firing. "Here there are cycles that depend on computers, such as Animation, Audiovisuals, etc.", says a tired and worried student.
"The only information we have is that in June the four-year extension granted by Endesa ended and that the electrical installation of the center has to be completely renovated because it cannot support more power." This information raises doubts among students about the forecast, management and solution of the problem. "They tell us that maybe from Monday we will have electricity, but it is not certain and it is not certain that there will be enough power", a response that does not convince those affected, "it is not serious that nobody knows anything".
The strike is scheduled for the next 9, 10 and 11 October, with concentrations and protests at the doors of the center, "we do not rule out making it indefinite if the problems are not solved".