The Escuela Hogar-Residencia Escolar of Puerto del Rosario has announced a commemorative event for its 50th anniversary, to be held on Friday, September 25th, at its facilities. The event is supported by the Cabildo of Fuerteventura, through the Department of Education and Youth.
Since opening its doors in 1976, the institution has played a crucial role in the lives of numerous generations of Fuerteventura residents. During the presentation, the president of the Cabildo, Lola García, highlighted that celebrating these fifty years also recognizes a fundamental part of the island's history, enabling many students to continue their education in Fuerteventura. She emphasized the commitment of individuals and families who trusted the center to provide a better future for their children.
García underscored the human value of the commemoration, describing it as a reunion filled with memories and emotions, and a tribute to those who made the Escuela Hogar more than just a place to study. Its history is part of the collective memory of Fuerteventura and deserves to be known and shared with new generations.
The center's director, Yamile Hernández, explained that the event aims to bring together former students, teachers, staff, families, and individuals who have been part of its trajectory. It will be an opportunity to recover memories, experiences, and acknowledge the importance of an institution created to address a significant educational need in Fuerteventura.
The Minister of Education and Youth, Adargoma Hernández, noted that to understand the significance of the Escuela Hogar, one must imagine Fuerteventura fifty years ago, when daily access to education was practically impossible for many children. The establishment of this resource opened doors to education, but also to community living, personal autonomy, and new opportunities.
Hernández stressed that education is not limited to what happens within a classroom. At the Escuela Hogar, experiences were shared, friendships were built, and bonds were established that have lasted for decades. This anniversary allows us to recognize this human dimension and remember that ensuring access to education has been, and continues to be, a collective responsibility.
Also participating in the presentation were the councilor for Historical Heritage of the Ayuntamiento de Puerto del Rosario, David de León, and the insular director of Education, Yurena Pérez.
Nicolás Gutiérrez, a former teacher and director of the center, traced the history of the Escuela Hogar of Puerto del Rosario, recalling a very different Fuerteventura. For decades, population dispersion, limited road infrastructure, and transportation difficulties affected access to education for numerous children, especially those residing in more remote rural areas.
The need for an institution of this nature was first raised in 1964, with an initial proposal for its construction in Gran Tarajal. After various negotiations and proposals, the facilities of the former Colegio Nacional de Puerto del Rosario were adapted. The creation of the Escuela Hogar was authorized by a ministerial order in December 1975, published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado on January 27, 1976. Initially designed to accommodate 210 mixed-gender boarding places, the center began provisional operations in May and June of that year and consolidated its activities with the start of the 1976-1977 academic year.
Throughout its five decades of history, the Escuela Hogar has accompanied the social and educational transformation of Fuerteventura, adapting to the needs of each era to become the current Residencia Escolar of Puerto del Rosario.
The anniversary provides an occasion to recognize the involvement of those who contributed to its operation, from teaching and non-teaching staff to families and students who found a space for learning and community within its facilities. The celebration on September 25th is born precisely with this vocation: to reunite those who shared a part of their lives at the Escuela Hogar and keep alive the memory of an institution closely linked to the recent history of Fuerteventura.
The event will take place starting at 6:00 PM at the Residencia Escolar of Puerto del Rosario, with an open invitation for reunion, remembrance, and celebration of the memories that form part of these fifty years of history.
