Sihua Update – February 2013
Though the final evaluation is still being completed, it appears that last year’s Primary School
Expansion project in Sihua was a success and planning has begun for the 2013 school year
beginning in March.
In 2012, the Alma Foundation signed a three-way contract with the Unidad de Gestion
Educativa Local – Calca (UGEL-Calca, the local branch of the Ministry of Education) and the
District Municipality of Coya to increase the number of guaranteed teachers in the primary
school I.E. # 50743- Sihua and expand the school through 5th grade. Due to the increase of
teachers and the implementation of 5th grade, the school was able to keep over 30 students in
the community instead of sending them walking between 1 and 3 hours each way to other
primary schools.
Now, in 2013, we will reach the goal set last year to implement complete primary school
(grades 1-6) in I.E. # 50743- Sihua. Throughout January and February the Alma Foundation has
been in consistent contact with UGEL-Calca, the District Municipality of Coya, and the newly
elected leaders of the Sihua Parents’ Association to draft the contract and project plans for
2013. This year, Alma will again hire two teachers in I.E. # 50743- Sihua, UGEL- Calca will
maintain their budget for two teachers in Sihua, and we are in negotiations will the Municipality
to hire two teachers as well. If all goes as planned, we will have 6 teachers for 6 grades in I.E. #
50743- Sihua, allowing all primary school students from Sihua to study in their own community
with a teacher assigned specifically to their grade level for the first time ever in the
community’s history.
