Venezuela earthquake education crisis

A double earthquake struck central Venezuela on 24 June 2026, collapsing school buildings in Caracas, La Guaira and nearby districts. The Venezuelan Catholic Education Association reported nearly 100 student deaths, along with dozens of teachers and staff. Damage forced more than 20 Catholic schools to close, leaving over 4,000 pupils without classrooms. Authorities, church officials and ministries began evaluating temporary large‑tent classrooms, virtual learning options and a reconstruction plan that meets stricter seismic standards, while providing psychological and socioeconomic assistance to affected families.

In the aftermath, veteran teacher Jazmín Urimare Ramírez, battling cancer, set up a makeshift school inside a canvas tent at a refugee camp in Catia La Mar. Starting with ten children, the “Escuela Urimare” grew to 74 pupils, supported by donations of notebooks, desks, a television and other supplies from local officials and community members. Classes run in the mornings with recreational activities in the afternoons, offering displaced children a structured routine and hope as reconstruction efforts continue.

Both snapshots illustrate the immediate human toll of the earthquakes on education and the rapid community‑driven response to restore learning for thousands of Venezuelan children.