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| 'Diplomas'
for Schools with Full Enrollment in Colombia |
| By Maria
Jos Llanos |
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Inter
Press Service
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 BOGOTA,
Apr 25 (IPS) - Colombia is working towards the Education for
All (EFA) goal through a novel programme that grants ''diplomas''
and special aid to schools that attain the target of full
enrollment.
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| The
Education Ministry began implementing the ''Municipio Caminante''
programme last June. Already 14 successful schools are eligible
for ''graduation gifts'' like science or computer labs, fully-equipped
libraries or necessary infrastructure. |
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| Education
Minister German Bula will present the results of the project
at the World Education Forum organised by the International
Consultative Forum for Education for All, between Apr. 26 and
28 in Dakar, Senegal. |
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| Colombia,
according to the project document for the conference, aims to
become ''a country that can hold its head up because it met
the ethical imperative'' of the EFA goal set by world leaders
in Jomtien, Thailand, in 1990. |
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| Among
the organisers is the Paris-based UNESCO or the UN Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation which conducted six regional
meetings in preparation for the Dakar conference. |
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| Colombia
and the countries of the region met in Santo Domingo, between
Feb. 10 and 12 this year, to review their progress in meeting
the EFA goal, and to identify more effective strategies for
the future. |
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| Municipio
Caminante will be showcased in Dakar by Colombia as a model
worth emulating. |
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| The
programme has a lyrical title. ''Municipio Caminante'' (roughly
travelling municipality) alludes to an oft-cited fragment of
a poem by an early 20th century poet, Antonio Machado: ''Caminante
no hay camino, se hace camino al andar ...'' (''Traveller there
is no way, we make our way as we walk ...'') |
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| Colombia
is chasing a tough goal. In a country of 37 million, only 7.1
million of its 9.9 million school-age children are presently
enrolled in schools. |
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| Drop-out
rates are high because of a decades-long armed conflict and
poverty which affects 45 percent of the population. |
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| Education
Ministry official Anita Pico says ''although public education
is free of cost'' many parents do not send their kids to school
even in areas outside the war zones because they ''are unable
to afford educational materials and lunch''. |
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The
Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement estimates that
1.3 million people have been displaced by violence. The Municipio
Caminante programme ''will continue assisting all municipalities
interested in taking part, even those that are located in conflict
zones,'' said Pico. |
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| The
programme which has an annual budget of 8.6 million is part
of the National Development Plan of the administration of President
Andres Pastrana, which aims for full enrollment in the country's
1,139 municipalities. |
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| Education
Minister German Bula stresses that the plan depends crucially
on cooperation between central and local governments.
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| In
order to qualify for awards of up to 200,000 dollars, schools
must attain 100 percent enrollment at both the primary and secondary
levels in the urban areas, or 100 percent and 80 percent respectively
in the rural areas. |
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| A
committee of education officials periodically visits schools
across the country to verify their claims of meeting the minimum
enrollment standards set by the Education Ministry to qualify
for a ''diploma'' award and prizes. |
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| Schools
in Sopo in the department of Cundinamarca, Envigado in Antioquia,
Manati on the Atlantic coast and Nobsa in Boyaca were the first
to ''graduate'' as part of the programme's ''Colombia graduates''
strategy of incentives. |
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| Minister
Bula is hopeful that 40 municipalities will receive ''diplomas''
over the next four months |
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| The
ministry has also designed a plan for overhauling the educational
system, including the expansion of schools, and upgrading quality,
efficiency and equity, as well as rationalising and restructuring
teaching staff, according to Pico. |
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| She
explained that both the reorganisation plan and the Municipio
Caminante programme are being implemented simultaneously by
the ministry under the government's new education policy. |
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