The situation of extortion in Peru once again affects public education. This time, the Almirante Miguel Grau Seminario school, located in San Martín de Porres, has fallen victim to threats from criminals demanding S/10,000 from the school’s director. According to Marcos Tupayachi, head of the Regional Directorate of Education of Metropolitan Lima (DRELM), the extortionists requested that the payment be made using the budget allocated by the Ministry of Education for the maintenance of the facility.
In light of this serious situation, school authorities decided to suspend in-person classes for ten days and conduct activities virtually to safeguard the safety of students and staff. In a statement, parents were informed of this decision, and a meeting was scheduled for March 26 with DRELM to discuss possible solutions.
Tupayachi added that security measures have been implemented, including the installation of cameras interconnected with the National Police’s Central 105 and panic buttons on the mobile phones of the school’s administrators. “We must work on preventive measures,” he emphasized, as the fear generated by these threats impacts the educational community.
