“Popular education is the first condition, the basic foundation, of the political, economic and moral life of the people.” (Excerpt from Juan Bautista Alberdi, bookBasics and starting points for Argentina’s political system, 1852)
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A few days ago we formally presented to the Secretary of National Education, Carlos Torrental, the final document Educar 2050, which summarizes the public policy proposals for the government obtained in the second edition of the Dialogue Tables for Learning in Argentina (Intermediate) carried out in 2023. Contributions come from dialogue with experts, academics, and authorities (Alejandro Kanimian, Irene Kidd, Susanna Decibe, Walter Grahovac, and Jose Thomas); From international experience (Tamara Winaguer from the Inter-American Development Bank (ITB-Education and Olavo Noguera “All for Education”, the Brazilian partner organization of Educar 2050 in Reduca); from school protagonists (principals, teachers and students); dialogue with mothers, “organized parents” organization and various representatives of national civil society (Latin American Learning and Solidarity Service Center – Glaze and the “Education First” network that brings together more than 35 NGOs from Argentina) and, finally, at the XVI Education Quality Forum, the end point of the “YoVotoEducacion” campaign, moderated by Luciana Vázquez, Alejandro The new government, formed in a group between Morduchovic and Axel Rivas, comes from different angles. Our compulsory rotation will help students achieve progress in their learning.
In 2019, we have already carried out this experience and provided the respective document to the previous Minister Drata and the Education Commissions of the Legislative Branch. Why this mechanism? Because the dialogue is the best tool to collect various reflections and suggestions for a system that for decades has not been able to improve one of the most obvious guarantees attached to the right to education: Most students learn. This reality, urgent as it is, requires a priority starting point for its reversal: the national executive branch and the country’s 24 jurisdictions, accepting their governmental actions with the commitment that Alberti’s quote indicates column: Education is the first condition.
Let us pause at this point for a moment. It is clear that this model has not been accepted and accepted by the governments of Argentina. Various factors related to economic demands, inflation, insecurity and social crisis have eroded the need to prioritize education. It is covered with indisputable facts, highlighted in the media document mentioned above, but not illuminated by the society’s claim: it is impossible for millions of students to be out of school, investment in education is not what the law demands. Financial management is inefficient and obligations arising from the National Education Act (18 years ago) and the Constitution are being violated. All of this is very detrimental to Argentina’s economic growth.This is illustrated by recent research made public by UNESCO on June 17 “The Cost of Inactivity: The Private, Financial and Global Societal Costs of Unlearning Children and Youth”, He highlights that a lack of good education costs countries billions of dollars a year. For this reason and for the social costs, priority should be given to changing this reality: more than 20 years, more than 50% of adolescents do not understand what they read (despite the fact that they manage in neighboring countries. To improve reading), more than 60% do not finish their compulsory studies on time, high level In the last year of school, more than 80% of students cannot solve a simple math exercise. It is even more serious because, in this context, the 180 effective class days or mandated hours are not met, good teachers are not paid decent salaries or generally are not trained and supported accordingly, and the gap of poor results. Very low socioeconomic levels magnify the equity deficit of a system that is unfortunately damaged by poverty levels.
What does this situation mean? The relevance of education in Argentina is not understood. Apart from UNESCO, various distinguished thinkers and Nobel laureates in economics – such as Amartya Sen, Joseph Stiglitz, Paul Krugman or Thomas Piketty – have maintained that education is the cornerstone of development and true freedom and that it cannot be ignored. Favoring short-term economic priorities can have long-term consequences. That is why it is so important to understand that good education should come first. No one denies that economics is important, but no one should deny how relevant or very relevant it is to be well educated. There is no better way to fight poverty than to enrich the brains and souls of children. But to achieve this, the president and governors must understand and recognize the Albertian principle in practice: education must be the first condition, and therefore must have the resources and results to prioritize them. There is no other way. The wisdom of that proverb that says, “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance” never applies. It’s simple: first, education.
Presidential Education 2050
