Education director fired over school scam expose

 Luis Carlos Varela, Regional Director of Education of Eastern Panama,  and Víctor Pimentel, director of the Professional and Technical Institute Mexico Panamá, have been  fired by were separated from their positions,following, investigations of the Public Ministry (MP), for the alleged theft of $20,000 from the agricultural fund administered by the school’s director.

The alleged malfeasance came to light on March 1, 2019, after Fernando Ábrego, secretary of the Association of Teachers of the Republic (Asoprof), revealed the situation to the newspaper El Siglo.

The publication of the story led to protests by teachers and students of the school, located in Tanara, Chepo.

Luis Lopez, of the National Union of Educators of Panama, said that since there are sponsor links the case is practically going to die in its cradle with this government. “It is not known if the next government will give continuity to this case, we on our part will demand continuity because there is supposedly a relative of President  Juan Carlos Varela involved,” he said.

The Meduca stressed that if the MP proves mismanagement in the use of these resources, the respective sanctions will be applied,

Teachers and students have demanded greater transparency in the use of budgets granted by the Education Ministry (Meduca).

 Declaration. The educational leader, Luis Lopez, said that situations like these occur in other schools, such as the misuse of the Equity and Education Quality Fund, as well as the misuse of funds from parent clubs and that, most of the cases,  go unpunished