BOLIVIA Decolonizing Education

[magbana]

You gotta love this guy!
magbana

Bolivia Decolonizing Education

lunes, 08 de junio de 2009
08 de junio de 2009, 08:40Imagen activa

La Paz, Jun 8 (Prensa Latina) Texts of the Spanish publishing house Santillana may be substituted by domestic productions in Bolivia, President Evo Morales announced.

During a National Teachers Day ceremony the statesman proposed switching the Spanish books with educational material produced here.

After enacting three decrees that benefit teachers, Morales insisted on how to eliminate Santillana through the incentive of production of books by national educators.

He explained that the arrival of Santillana in Bolivia was a form of educational colonialism.

In January of this year education authorities warned that these highly priced books could not be considered official texts and, consequently should not be demanded of families.

Santillana books reached Bolivian schools with the educational reform of 1994, financed by the World Bank, and a few years later the publishing house began to prepare official texts.

In another part of his speech Morales explained that the new decrees are aimed at strengthening academic formation of teaching professionals.

The minister of Education, Roberto Aguilar told Prensa Latina that these measures accompany the process of change in the country since 2006, instrumented by the Elizardo Perez bill.

One of its decrees determines creation of the Mariscal Sucre Pedagogical University under administration of the Education Ministry.

Other measures establish incentives for teachers who participate as supervisors of the National Post Literacy Program being developed with the help of Cuba and Venezuela.

A third law sets down the recognition of intellectual and technological production of teachers through a study scholarship for a specialization course and publication and transmission of their work.

hr/ga/avp/mf
Modificado el ( lunes, 08 de junio de 2009 )
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http://www.prensa-latina.cu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=90021&Itemid=1

[Judi Lynn]

1. He's the desperately needed first breath of cleansing, fresh air. Great idea.

For anyone who didn't hear, yet, Bolivia also has universities in the three native languages for the 37% of Bolivians who speak a native language:

Bolivia: decree orders to create three indigenous universities
Share: by rahul | August 2, 2008 at 07:23 pm

~snip~
The indigenous university purpose is to decolonize Bolivia. The lessons will be in Aymara. Spanish will be just a subject", the President stated in front of a crowd, the local authorities as well as some Ministers who were part of that important ceremony.

For Magdalena Cajias, Minister of Education, the fact that these future universities give lessons in native languages is a historic step for Bolivia.

"The first university in Bolivia was created more than 300 years ago, after all that time now three indigenous universities are being created, which finally will be based on our society values, focusing the education from our own perspective," Cajias said.

The most important subject inside the careers provided by these universities will be economy, social sciences, history and environment as well as arts, sports and foreign languages.

AYMARA UNIVERSITY

Called "Universidad Tupac Katari", it will be located in Warisata, Omasuyos Province, Department of La Paz. This university will offer degrees in Agronomy, specialized in high plain farming; Food and Textile industry and Veterinary Sciences.

QUECHUA UNIVERSITY

This university will be in Chimore, Carrasco Province, Department of Cochabamba; it will be called "Universidad Casimiro Huanca" and will offer degrees in Food Industry, Reforestation and Fish Farming.

GUARANI UNIVERSITY

It will be named "Universidad Boliviana Guaraní y Pueblos de Tierras Bajas" and will be located in Curuyuqui community, Luis Calvo Province, Department of Chuquisaca; it will offer degrees in Hydrocarbons, Reforestation, Fish Farming and Veterinary Sciences.

At the end of their subjects, the students will have to develop a project on productive issues and present that in the native language of each university (Aymara, Quechua or Guarani) in order to get their degree.

Besides, the university graduates will get access to grants given by the Government.

http://www.nowpublic.com/world/bolivia-decree-orders-create-three-indigenous-universities

[EFerrari]

2. That's a brilliant idea. n/t