Education

Looking at the history of the community, it is evident that a few years ago the level of education of the population was low: only 46% of the population had completed primary education, while 26% had incomplete secondary education. Jiovanny Rivadeneira tells us that the community had a small school. When the students finished their studies, they began to work or, if their parents had sufficient income, they migrated to the city to continue their studies.
Faced with this reality, the community undertook the project to complete the years of education and thus avoid migration and lack of opportunities in the future. This is how high school was legalized, and in 2012 the first class of sustainable technical high school was graduated. The main objective of this mention is to work on sustainable community tourism. 50% of the students are from neighboring communities and the other 50% are from the Añangu community. There are 136 students, including coastal dwellers, secoyas, kichwas and mestizos. Education is free, covered mostly by the state, but also by the community, which contributes to certain contracts for teachers and through incentives for the teacher to give the best classes. The community also supports its students with transportation, lodging, and food in exchange for what the students are asked to devote a few hours to community work, for example, on the community farm. There is financial support for students who have gone off to college, as long as they are able to complete their studies and return to contribute to their community.

Nowadays, there are about 92 students in the school, 70% Kichwa and 30% mestizos; all of them learn Kichwa. The educational institution offers study specialties such as ecotourism, language and agronomy. These specialties are the most adapted to the reality of the community. The best student in each class has the option of having a job or a scholarship from the community. These scholarships are aimed at the sons and daughters of community members.

According to Roberto Guillermo Grefa Andi (49 years old) and Silverio Yumbo Aguinda (62 years old), inhabitants of the community, the specialty of Ecological Tourism allows both the community and the hotel to be self-sufficient. The community farm project was created, where the students produce yucca, bananas, papaya and other varieties of fruits, vegetables and legumes. With the income they can generate from this activity, they save for New Year's Eve trip and other activities.

The school's principal, Arceliano Illanez, explains that the institution emphasizes environmental education and waste management to avoid pollution. Ecological gardens are managed; it is not just classroom work. In this school Kichwa is studied, it is a bilingual school, since it is important to know how to write and know the grammar of the language to revalue the culture. Also, a uniform was implemented that has the same characteristics as the typical costume of the community.