Mission Ribas

Misión Ribas (launched November 2003) is a Venezuelan Bolivarian Mission that provides remedial high school level classes to the five million Venezuelan high school dropouts; named after independence hero José Felix Ribas.

In July 2006 President Chávez announced that the Mission Ribas should become a socio-political movement conformed by students, family members and professors to guarantee its role as a promoting agent of the Bolivarian revolution. There have been many concerns about the effectiveness of this and other missions lately. Even Chávez has expressed preoccupation about the high amount of people who drop out of school or do not continue to the Mision Sucre, or Higher Education. http://economia.eluniversal.com/2007/03/22/pol_art_alta-desercion-de-gr_221700.shtml The pro-government deputy Pastora Medina admitted that "there are denunciations about the way scholarships are given. There is little commitment from the pupils and the teachers of the Misión Ribas and this has led to a wrong development. In the Caricuao area, in Caracas, there are 300 pupils registered, but only eight go to classes". http://deportes.eluniversal.com/2007/03/22/pol_art_an--investigara-irre_220748.shtml