Project requires students to work in elections to graduate

The Chamber of Deputies approved on Tuesday, in its first reading, a bill establishing as a mandatory requirement for secondary school students to complete complementary electoral and social service in order to obtain their high school diploma.

The initiative stipulates that all students completing high school must receive training in civic and electoral education , including instruction on the Constitution, fundamental rights, the functioning of democracy , and electoral processes .

In addition, they will be required to provide a social service by working as auxiliary staff at polling stations during the elections, under the coordination of the Central Electoral Board ( JCE ).

The proponent of the project , Representative Elías Wessin Chávez , explained that his initiative will improve the work at the polling stations , since young people will be trained as auxiliary personnel and in matters of democracy , which would contribute to optimizing the work in the elections "which are often delayed due to a lack of expertise."

He also said that the state regularly spends billions of pesos on the training and education of electoral college members , resources that, in his opinion, would be better spent on other social areas.

In that sense, he asked his colleagues to approve the project so that students , with training in civics and democracy , would be the ones to assist the polling stations in the elections held every four years.

Non-election years

During non-election years , students must perform community service such as reforestation, beach or park cleanups, and other community activities mandated by the Ministry of the Environment within their respective districts.

The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Education , in coordination with the Central Electoral Board, the Ministry of Youth, and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

It also establishes that public and private educational centers must ensure compliance with this obligation . In the event of noncompliance, these schools could be publicly reprimanded through the Ministry of Education 's media and social networks.

The project also includes people over 16 years of age who have not completed secondary education , who must receive electoral training once they obtain their identity cards.

The legislative proposal , approved on first reading, must now undergo a second reading before being sent back to the Senate for the same process.

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