Costa Rica News – There are more than a few things that piss me off and this would be one of them. This shows a complete disregard for the well being of others for a measly $34 a month.
The National Scholarship Fund (FONABE) exists to aid poor students across the country. The National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC) defines poverty as those families who earn less than 97,484 colones (less than $200) per month. Extreme poverty is below 45,116 colones (less than $100) per month.
Teachers, school principals, counselors and administrative professionals in schools make well above those amounts. Some make almost $2,000 a month. Despite this, it was discovered that 257 children of people in those positions within the Ministry of Public Education somehow got this scholarship.
The awarded scholarship is for 17,000 colones a month, an amount that can save a poor family but makes no difference to a family whose income comes from the MEP. The parents of these 257 students all make over $1,000 a month. These actions show behavior on someone with zero heart and soul.
It has not yet been decided if they will be sanctioned. Of course not, why would the offenders be punished in the land of where accountability is a made up word with zero meaning? It is Costa Rica where the welfare of the increasing numbers under the poverty line is disregarded.
An investigation is open against those who evaded the controls and got the money for their kids. On Monday, the MEP is supposed to announce the corrective measures that they will implement in the system. This year, there have been more complaints than ever before, about long waits of over a year to be approved for the needed scholarship and non-payment to the families who really need it.
But it has come to a point where if there is a way to scam the system it will happen in Costa Rica, no matter who it hurts.
