Caracas - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
There is a good international school within a five-minute drive from the Embassy. - May 2015
There is an international school. It has a declining enrollment. - Apr 2015
There are two (formerly large, now medium sized) international schools, ECA and CIC. There is also a small evangelical religious school with instruction in English. CIC is a great looking school in what is now a high crime area. As a result, embassy families go only to ECA, but there is no prohibition at this time from using CIC. - Nov 2014
ECA appears to be a good school. - Sep 2013
One of the main reasons we chose Caracas was because of the fantastic reputation of Escuela Campo Alegre. The year I arrived things apparently started to decline, though, and now I have mixed feelings about the school. I had three children in the elementary school, including twins with special needs. My youngest, who is normally very outgoing and popular, struggled her entire first year to make friends since she was put in a classroom with an already tight group of children and moms who already knew each other. The teacher acknowledged the problem but couldn't/wouldn't do anything to help. Even though the school is 'international' the vast majority are wealthy Venezuelans (with dual citizenship) and other Latin Americans, and this has changed the values and ambiance of the school. I've heard from several other parents---and it has been my own experience---that the school does not do enough to 'welcome' the new kids and make sure that the other students open up a bit to let them join in. - Aug 2012
Most embassy children go to ECA, from what I hear it is one of the best schools in the world. Many people come here or extend here for the school. - Mar 2012
ECA (escuela campo alegre) is great. The usual complaints about some teachers, but overall a wonderful experience for my kids. There is a lot of parent activity at the school, so it's a great community. - Mar 2011
ECA is the international school here. The elementary school is okay, but people tend to really like the high school much more. - Jan 2011
Couldn't say, people seem happy with them. - Oct 2010
ECA is the school where the majority of children go. It is a good school, and families seems to be very happy with the education their children are receiving. - Sep 2010
ECA and another school. Most people use ECA and are generally happy with it, but we can't speak from experience. With the new education law, we wouldn't be comfortable keeping our children enrolled in school here. - Mar 2010
Escuela Campo Alegre is the only good thing about this place. The school is top notch with great staff and support for the students. CIC is ok and there is also a Christian school but it lacks proper security measures and has a very weak staff. - Mar 2010
2 international schools: Escuela Campo Alegre and Colegio Internacional de Caracas. ECA is where the vast majority of Embassy dependents go, and is a first rate school. Truly excellent, and one of the outstanding features of Caracas. - Nov 2008
