Figure 1.--Here a group of Honduran perhaps in the 1970s are participating in some kind of desfile. All that we can make out from their uniform 'T'-shirts is that is was an escuela mixta, maning coeducational. The school uniform was these T-shirts and blue pants for the boys and plaid skirts and white knee socks for the girls.

Honduras is a relatively poor Central American country. The country is so poor that until the late-1950s there was not even a national education system. For the most part, only families which could afford tom pay tuition at private schools could arrange to educate their children. Reforms passed in 1957 launced the effort to build a national system of free public schools. The government of Ramón Villeda Morales (1957-63) began to build the country's first national public school system. The Secretaría de Educación de Honduras (SDEDH--Department of Education) is the Government agency responsible for administering public education. The Honduran Constitution now mandates a free primary education for every Honduran child between the ages of 7-14 years of age. This is more of a goal than a reality. The country faces a lackm of schools especially in rural areas, both teacher shortages and poor training, inadequate teaching materials needed for these schools. As a result public education is often unavailable and of a poor quality. Thus, families that can afford to do so, generally send their children to private schools. The SDEDH reports that illiteracy is still widespread, an estimated 40 mpercebnt and perhaps doube that in rural areas. A substantial number of Honduran children still do not receive any formal education. The situation is especially severe in rural areas. Where they do exist, children often have no way of getting there if they live beyond walking distance. Even so, many schools are badly overcrowed. Someteachers have as many as 70-80 children in their classroom.

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