Executive Decree PCM-071-2018 through which the Presidential Program Honduras for Youth is created
Poder Ejecutivo
- Decree: PCM-071-2018
- Published: November 9, 2018
- Issuing body: Poder Ejecutivo
- Gazette: 34,790
- Category: Administrative
Summary
This decree establishes the Presidential Program "Honduras for Youth" to combat school dropout and poverty among students in grades 7 through 11. It provides annual economic bonuses, scholarships, and improvements to school infrastructure in priority cities. It benefits poor and vulnerable families and is funded through government and international sources.
Considerations
Whereas, in accordance with Article 245, numerals 2, 11, and 19 of the Constitution of the Republic, it is the responsibility of the President of the Republic, among other powers: To direct the general policy of the State and represent or issue Agreements, Decrees, and issue Regulations and Resolutions in accordance with the Law, as well as to administer Public Treasury.
Whereas, it is a priority for the Government of the Republic to promote education and eradicate student dropout and poverty through State initiatives aimed at strengthening the national educational system and improving the quality of life of students, with special attention to the most vulnerable population.
Whereas, in accordance with Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it establishes that everyone has the right to education. Education must be free, at least as far as elementary and fundamental instruction are concerned. Elementary instruction shall be compulsory. Technical and professional instruction must be generalized; access to higher education shall be equal for all based on their respective merits. Education shall aim at the full development of the human personality and the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; it shall promote understanding, tolerance, and friendship among all sectors of society without discrimination of any kind.
Whereas, Article 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights prescribes that States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of every person to education. Education must be oriented toward the full development of the human personality and the sense of human dignity and must strengthen respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Education must enable all persons to participate effectively in a free society. Primary education must be compulsory and accessible to all free of charge. Secondary education, in its various forms, including technical and professional secondary education, must be generalized and made accessible to all, by every appropriate means and in particular by the progressive implementation of free education.
Whereas, Article 151 of the Constitution of the Republic establishes that education is an essential function of the State for the preservation, promotion, and dissemination of culture, which must project its benefits to society without discrimination of any kind.
Whereas, full and effective protection of the fundamental right to education can only be achieved through the increase and improvement of educational infrastructure and the reduction of obstacles that continue to prevent optimal utilization of the existing system.
Articles
The Presidential Program "Honduras for Youth" is hereby created under the Coordination of the Secretariat of State in the Office of the Presidency, through one of its Subsecretariats.
The Program has as its primary objective the promotion of education and contributing to reducing student dropout among young people in situations of poverty or extreme poverty in the Public Educational System, understood from the seventh through the eleventh grade, by means of promoting the development of educational centers and creating mechanisms of assistance intended to improve services to students and the infrastructure of the most densely populated educational centers located in the Municipality of the Central District in the Department of Francisco Morazán; the Metropolitan Region of the Sula Valley, La Ceiba in the Department of Atlántida; Comayagua and Siguatepeque, in the Department of Comayagua; Choluteca in the Department of Choluteca and other Cities that may be targeted according to their conditions of risk and vulnerability.
The Program may create strategic alliances with Governmental Institutions, Non-Governmental Organizations, National and International Organizations that it deems pertinent for its better development.
The Program shall be executed according to their respective competence by the following institutions: Secretariat of State in the Office of the Presidency (SDP); Secretariat of State in the Office of Education (SEDUC); Secretariat of Development and Social Inclusion (SEDIS); Institute for Community Development of Water and Sanitation (IDECOYAS); and National Institute of Youth (INJ).
The Program must create the administrative and technical operational structure necessary for its proper operation, monitoring and follow-up, for which the Institutions that are part of the Program's execution must provide the necessary resources in accordance with the guidelines established by the President of the Republic or, failing that, the Coordinator of this Program.
The Program has among its functions the fulfillment of the following: The Student Promotion Bonus, which must be delivered annually for a period of three years and is directed to the families of students to cover their basic needs with the purpose of guaranteeing their attendance at classes; Deliver a Better Life Bonus for Education, which shall be distributed annually as support to families in extreme poverty situations of students from Educational Centers prioritized for their integral development and to guarantee their continuity in their studies. This Bonus shall be determined and delivered to the focused participants by the National Information Center of the Social Sector (CENISS) through the Secretariat of State in the Offices of Development and Social Inclusion; Educational grants intended to support the acquisition of educational guide materials and transportation of beneficiary students, whose mechanism shall be determined by the executing institutions in charge of the Program; and, The Program must allocate aid funds for the development of educational centers and the development of special programs of extracurricular activities and for the development of life skills of young people.
The Secretariat of State in the Office of Finances must allocate, with prior approval of the President of the Republic, the necessary resources from the Solidarity and Social Protection Fund for the Reduction of Extreme Poverty contained in Legislative Decree No. 238-2004 and the Investment and Allocations Trust (FINA), which must be allocated exclusively for the fulfillment of the objectives established in this Decree. As well as any other source of resources available in SEFIN, whether these be national resources, funds from external sources, both reimbursable and non-reimbursable contributions provided by national or international cooperation organizations. The execution of said resources shall be the responsibility of the Presidential Program "Honduras for Youth".
The Program must issue its Operating Manual or other internal regulations that may be necessary, which must contemplate among others the following aspects: The targeting criteria to select beneficiaries; Its administration, execution, operation and scope of the Program; and, The attributions and responsibilities of each of the executing institutions of the Program.
This Executive Decree enters into force as of its publication in the Official Journal "La Gaceta". Given at Presidential House in the city of Tegucigalpa, municipality of the Central District on the twenty-eighth day of the month of August of the year two thousand eighteen. LET IT BE COMMUNICATED AND PUBLISHED. JUAN ORLANDO HERNÁNDEZ ALVARADO, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC; MARTHA VICENTA DOBLADO ANDARA, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICE OF GENERAL COORDINATION OF GOVERNMENT BY LAW; EBAL JAIR DÍAZ LUPIAN, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY; HECTOR LEONEL AYALA ALVARENGA, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICES OF GOVERNANCE, JUSTICE AND DECENTRALIZATION; MARÍA DOLORES AGÜERO LARA, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICES OF FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION; REINALDO ANTONIO SÁNCHEZ RIVERA, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICES OF DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL INCLUSION; ARNALDO CASTILLO FIGUEROA, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT; ROBERTO ANTONIO PINEDA RODRÍGUEZ, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICES OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SERVICES; JULIAN PACHECO TINOCO, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL SECURITY; FREDY SANTIAGO DÍAZ ZELAYA, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DEFENSE; OCTAVIO RUBÉN SÁNCHEZ MIDENCE, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICE OF HEALTH; MARCIAL SOLÍS PAZ, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICE OF EDUCATION; CARLOS ALBERTO MADERO ERAZO, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICES OF LABOR AND SOCIAL SECURITY; MAURICIO GUEVARA PINTO, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICES OF AGRICULTURE AND LIVESTOCK; JOSÉ ANTONIO GALDAMES FUENTES, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICES OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT; ROCIO IZABEL TABORA MORALES, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICE OF FINANCES; KARLA EUGENIA CUEVA AGUILAR, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICE OF HUMAN RIGHTS; ROBERTO ANTONIO ORDOÑEZ WOLFOVICH, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICE OF ENERGY; ERNIE EMILIO SILVESTRI THOMPSON, SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICE OF TOURISM.
Related laws
- Executive Decree PCM-071-2018 by which the Presidential Program "Honduras for Youth" is created — This decree creates the «Honduras for Youth» program to help poor students in grades 7-11 stay in school and not drop out. The government provides cash bonuses to families, scholarships for school materials, and improves schools in cities like Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, and La Ceiba. (Decree 071-2018, 2018)
- Agreement No. 02-2018 by which the Sectional Court of Law of Choloma, Department of Cortés, is empowered to hear criminal matters — This agreement enables the Sectional Court of Letters in Choloma to hear criminal cases, a function assigned since 2011 but not exercised. It speeds up criminal justice in that municipality and makes better use of the Judicial Branch's resources.
- Decreto Ejecutivo No. PCM-046-2019 — Reforma del Decreto Ejecutivo PCM-072-2016 sobre transferencias del PANI al Fondo de Solidaridad y Protección Social — This decree requires PANI (childhood protection agency) to transfer up to 212 million lempiras annually to the Social Solidarity Fund: 132 million to the main fund, 69 million to the childhood and family directorate, and 11 million to the youth program. Funds come from lottery profits operated with Canada, aimed at reducing extreme poverty and supporting social programs. (Decree PCM-046-2019, 2019)
- PCM No. PCM-046-2019 — Reforma al Decreto Ejecutivo PCM-072-2016 sobre trasferencias del PANI al Fondo de Solidaridad y Protección Social — This decree modifies how PANI (the lottery institute) distributes its annual earnings: it must now transfer up to 212 million lempiras to the Social Solidarity and Protection Fund to reduce extreme poverty, 69 million to the children and adolescent protection agency, and 11 million to the "Honduras for Youth" program from August 2019 through 2021. It benefits low-income families, children, and young people. (Decree PCM-046-2019, 2019)
- Decreto Ejecutivo No. PCM-046-2019 — Reforma al Decreto Ejecutivo PCM-072-2016 sobre transferencias del PANI al Fondo de Solidaridad y Protección Social (Decree PCM-046-2019, 2019)