Bolivia

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Bolivia in a nutshell

Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia (Spanish: Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia),is a landlocked country in central South America. It is bordered by Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay and Argentina to the south, and Chile and Peru to the west.

Its population is 9.8 million.

Its capital is Sucre but its largest city is Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

Education in Bolivia

This is raw text at present and will be checked and edited

Ministry of Education(Spanish) Lic. Roberto Aguilar Gómez Minister of Education and Culture

National Objectives
• Educational quality and relevance to each and every one
• Our cultures are catalyzing and coordinating all state policy
• Education for the knowledge and production

Viceministerio de Educación Superior (VES)(Spanish)
Deputy Minister of Higher Education
The aim of the Deputy Minister of Higher Education (VES) is to manage, develop and establish policies and regulations of higher education; in leading executive, coordinating with the various educational institutions at national, departmental and local levels, thus ensuring the quality in the provision of educational services. Minister Of Higher Education: Lic. Diego Pary Rodriguez

Mercosur (Spanish)

NATIONAL AGENCY FOR ACCREDITATION

The national accreditation agency will cover all the country's university and public.

Under the policies of globalization and transformation of Bolivian higher education, evaluation and accreditation of institutions and programs is essential to promote, recognize and guarantee the quality of institutions and programs as well as aiding in the construction of Higher Education system integrated, cooperative and supportive.

From Wikipedia Education in Bolivia, as in many other areas of Bolivian life, has a divide between Bolivia's rural and urban areas. Rural illiteracy levels remain high, even as the rest of the country becomes increasingly literate. This disparity stems partly from the fact that many children living in rural areas are forced to contribute economically to their family households and thus are much less likely to attend school. On average, children from rural areas attend school for 4.2 years, while children in urban areas receive an average of 9.4 years of education. A gender divide also exists. The country’s literacy level as a whole, 86.7%, is lower than in many other South American countries.

A comprehensive, education reform has made some significant changes. [[Image: ]]

Initiated in 1994, the reform decentralized educational funding in order to meet diverse local needs, improved teacher training and curricula, formalized and expanded intercultural bilingual education and changed the school grade system. Resistance from teachers’ unions, however, has slowed implementation of some of the intended reforms.

More recently the Ley Sinani has extended the reforms - in theory, at least.

Chronic political instability hindered the development of general education throughout Bolivia's history. In the colonial era, education was limited to a few clergy acting as tutors for the sons of elite families. Little effort was made to teach the Indians beyond the bare necessity to convert them. Happiness brought a series of ambitious decrees calling for universal, compulsory primary education and a public school system; nonetheless, little was accomplished. By 1900 schools existed primarily to serve urban elites. No vocational or agricultural institutes existed in the country. Only 17% of the adult population was literate.

Overall, however, little real expansion of educational opportunities occurred. A 1947 law calling for an end to illiteracy drew attention to the government's limited capacity for action in this area. It required that every literate Bolivian teach at least one other to read and write and levied fines for adult illiteracy. On the eve of the 1952 Revolution, less than one-third of the adult population was literate.

Legislation in 1956 laid the foundation for the public education system in force towards the end of the twentieth century. The government established a six-year primary cycle followed by four years of intermediate schooling and two years of secondary school ending with the baccalaureate degree. Laws in 1969 and 1973 revised the curricula and instituted a five-year primary cycle, theoretically compulsory between the ages of seven and fourteen, followed by three years of intermediate school and four years of secondary education. The first two years of secondary instruction consisted of an integrated program that all students followed; the second two-year cycle permitted students to specialize in the humanities or one of several technical fields. All courses led to the baccalaureate degree, which was a prerequisite for entering the university.

Higher education consisted of the University of Bolivia and a variety of public and private institutes. The University of Bolivia—a consortium of eight public universities and one private university (the 1,500-student Bolivian Catholic University)--was the only postsecondary school that awarded degrees. At least four other private institutions were operating without legal authorization in 1989. Other schools offered technical training in the fine arts, commercial arts, and technical fields, as well as in teacher training.

The Ministry of Education and Culture of Bolivia organized adult literacy classes. By the mid-1980s, approximately 350 centers and more than 2,000 teachers were dedicated to children's literacy programs. More than half were in the department of La Paz, where more than one-third of the population died. The program had little impact, however; improvements in the adult literacy rate primarily resulted from increased primary school enrollment. From 1973 to 1987, the percentage of school-aged children enrolled in primary schools climbed from 76 to 87%.

Most educational expenditures went for operating budgets, especially personnel costs, leaving little for capital programs and expansion. Spending remained skewed in favor of the urban areas. Approximately 60% of Bolivia's 59,000 teachers were employed in urban schools. The economic crisis that beset the country in the early to mid-1980s had a severe impact on educational spending. Analysts estimated that real education expenditures in 1985 were less than 40% of the total recorded in 1980. Over the same period, the percentage of the gross domestic product devoted to education dropped from 3% to less than 2%.

Although the education system recorded some progress in enrollments in the 1970s and 1980s, serious problems remained. The number of secondary school students grew twice as fast as the population of that age-group; the university student population grew more than four times faster than the total population of 18- to 24-year-olds. Still, secondary education remained beyond the grasp of most Bolivians; only 35% of the eligible age-group attended secondary school. Significant disparities also existed between male and female enrollment rates. Efforts to increase female attendance ran up against the harsh economic realities faced by poorer families who relied on their daughters' help with chores and childcare.

Dropout rates also remained extremely high. Only one-third of first graders completed the fifth grade, 20% started secondary school, 5% began their postsecondary studies, and just 1% received a university degree. Dropout rates were higher among girls and rural children. Only about 40% of rural youngsters continued their education beyond the third grade.

Finally Spanish was the language of instruction at every level. Critics blamed the absence of bilingual education (or intercultural bilingual education, respectively) for the high dropout rates among rural Indian schoolchildren.[citation needed]

From Bolivia.bella No public schools in Bolivia provide buses or any other form of transportation. Extra-curricular activities such as sports are virtually non-existent although most schools do promote social certain social gatherings and celebrate specific holidays.

The government set a public education curriculum that all public schools (called "colegios fiscales") and private schools (called "colegios particulares") must follow.

The Bolivian government decides upon teaching salaries and these are low.

In addition, even though they are public schools, public education is not free. Parents must pay monthly for their children to attend school, in addition to uniforms (required at all public schools), books, supplies and materials are not provided by the state. Some families can hardly afford to send their kids to school in Bolivia and when teachers go on strike and students suffer the consequences, there are quite frequently confrontations between parents and teachers. Repeating a grade is costly to a family. There is a very high drop-out rate throughout the public education system. Although over 80% of Bolivia's population attends all or part of elementary school, under 35% of the population advances to middle school or graduates from high school.

Fewer than 50% of all students who take university entrance exams pass them. Each state university also has a maximum number of students that can be admitted each year (depending on how much room the university has physically); therefore, even if students do pass state entrance exams, a percentage of these will not be admitted into the university until there is room for them. Access to state universities is very competitive despite the overall low levels of educational achievement in Bolivia.

The government requires all new teachers to work their first 2 years in a rural school (under the government of Evo Morales, this may be changed to 5 years). Teachers who do not teach in rural schools will not get jobs in urban schools.

The current socialist government is taking some steps it believes will lead to the provision of better quality public education in both rural and urban areas. President Evo Morales is highly influenced by Fidel Castro of Cuba and Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and is attempting to model Bolivia’s public education system (schools and universities) after the socialist systems in these countries, both of which boast high literacy rates and use literacy as the measurement of public education quality; however, literacy and education are not the same thing.

His government also attempted to completely do away with private schools altogether (as in Cuba) stating that all students should have access to the same level of education. Many parents believe that obligating private schools to conform to public education norms will not increase the quality of education, but rather will greatly decrease it (bring private schools down to a lower quality level rather than bringing public education up to par with private education in Bolivia).

Various non-profit organizations (NGOs) have been working for years in rural areas with the public education system and curriculum, raising the necessary funds to build new schools, remodel existing ones, maintain buildings and classrooms, build restrooms, provide running water, and purchase furniture and materials. Several of these organizations also raise funds for community projects such as water pumps or latrines, drainage systems, solar panels for power, and community gardens the students and their parents cultivate, providing food for the families. I've personally visited many of these communities and schools and the contributions these organizations make to both education and health is enormous!!!! In most of these schools the education level is much higher and drop-out rates are much lower than at public schools run by the government.

Other NGOs provide vocational training, business administration skills, product marketing and micro-credit programs to help parents, families and entire communities become self-sustaining. In general, the schools built and maintained by these organizations are in very good condition and have greatly improved access to educational opportunities for rural children. However, constant changes in government officials and authorities make it very hard for them to advance in their work as new authorities often disregard agreements that had been established and signed by their predecessors and the NGOs must start all over again each time new employees and officials are assigned to certain posts. This situation severely delays the incredible good they can do in schools that are otherwise practically abandoned by the state system.

Schools in Bolivia

Text not yet completely edited

Legislation in 1956 laid the foundation for the public education system in force in the late 1980s. The government established a six-year primary cycle followed by four years of intermediate schooling and two years of secondary school ending with the baccalaureate degree. Laws in 1969 and 1973 revised the curricula and instituted a five-year primary cycle, theoretically compulsory between the ages of seven and fourteen, followed by three years of intermediate school and four years of secondary education. The first two years of secondary instruction consisted of an integrated program that all students followed; the second two-year cycle permitted students to specialize in the humanities or one of several technical fields. All courses led to the baccalaureate degree, which was a prerequisite for entering the university.

Dropout rates remain extremely high. Only one-third of first graders completed the fifth grade, 20% started secondary school, 5% began their postsecondary studies, and just 1% received a university degree. Dropout rates were higher among girls and rural children. Only about 40% of rural youngsters continued their education beyond the third grade.

The government set a public education curriculum that all public schools (called "colegios fiscales") and private schools (called "colegios particulares") must follow. A large education reform program was initiated in an attempt to improve the quality of public education called the Reforma Educativa.

Further and Higher Education

Universities in Bolivia

Guide to universities in Bolivia (Spanish)

AUTONOMOUS PUBLIC STATE UNIVERSITIES IN BOLIVIA

• Universidad Mayor, Real y Pontificia de San Francisco Xavier
• Universidad Mayor de San Andrés
• Universidad Mayor de San Simón
• Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno
• Universidad Autónoma Juan Misael Saracho
• Autónoma del Beni “José Ballivián”
• Universidad Nacional del Siglo XXI
• Universidad Amazónica de Pando
• Universidad Pública de El Alto

PUBLIC STATE UNIVERSITIES SPECIAL REGIME

• Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas de la Nación
• Universidad Policial “Mcal. Antonio José de Sucre”
• Universidad Pedagógica Nacional Mariscal Sucre
• Universidad Indígena “Tupak Katari”
• Universidad Indígena “ Casimiro Huanca”
• Universidad Indígena “Apiagûaiki Tûpa”

PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES AFFILIATED WITH THE BOLIVIAN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

• Universidad Católica Boliviana “San Pablo”
• Unidades Académicas Campesinas
• Escuela Militar de Ingeniería

PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES OF BOLIVIA

• Universidad Adventista de Bolivia
• Universidad Bethesda
• Universidad Boliviana de Informática
• Universidad Boliviana de Informática (Subsede El Alto)
• Universidad Boliviana de Informática (Subsede La Paz)
• Universidad CEFI Saint Paul
• Universidad CEFI Saint Paul Universidad CEFI Saint Paul (Subsede Cochabamba)
• Universidad Central
• Universidad Central (Subsede La Paz)
• Universidad Cristiana de Bolivia
• Universidad de Aquino Bolivia
• Universidad de Aquino Bolivia (Subsede Cochabamba)
• Universidad de Aquino Bolivia (Subsede Santa Cruz)
• Universidad de Aquino Bolivia (Subsede Oruro)
• Universidad de la Amazonía Boliviana
• Universidad de la Amazonía Boliviana (Subsede Guayaramerín)
• Universidad de la Cordillera
• Universidad de los Andes
• Universidad Evangélica Boliviana
• Universidad La Salle
• Universidad La Salle (Subsede El Alto)
• Universidad Latinoamericana
• Universidad Loyola
• Universidad Nacional del Oriente (Subsede Montero)
• Universidad Nacional Ecológica
• Universidad Nuestra Señora de la Paz
• Universidad Nur
• Universidad Nur (Subsede Cochabamba)
• Universidad Nur (Subsede La Paz)
• Universidad Nur (Authorized programs in other departments and that have no Academic sub headquarters)
• Universidad para la Investigación Estratégica en Bolivia
• Universidad Privada Abierta Latinoamericana
• Universidad Privada Abierta Latinoamericana (Subsede Oruro)
• Universidad Privada Boliviana
• Universidad Privada Boliviana (Subsede La Paz)
• Universidad Privada Boliviana (Authorized programs in other departments)
• Privada Cumbre
• Universidad Privada de Oruro
• Universidad Privada de Santa Cruz de la Sierra
• Universidad Privada del Chaco
• Universidad Privada del Valle
• Universidad Privada del Valle (Subsede La Paz)
• Universidad Privada del Valle (Subsede Sucre)
• Universidad Privada del Valle (Subsede Trinidad)
• Universidad Privada Domingo Savio
• Universidad Privada Domingo Savio (Subsede Tarija)
• Universidad Privada Franz Tamayo
• Universidad Privada Franz Tamayo (Subsede Cochabamba)
• Universidad Privada Franz Tamayo (Subsede Santa Cruz)
• Universidad Privada Franz Tamayo (Subsede El Alto)
• Universidad Privada Indígena Tawantinsuyo Ajlla-Uta
• Universidad Real
• Universidad Salesiana de Bolivia
• Universidad Salesiana de Bolivia (Subsede Camiri)
• Universidad San Francisco de Asís
• Universidad San Francisco de Asís (Subsede Tupiza)
• Universidad Técnica Privada Cosmos
• Universidad Técnica Privada Cosmos (Subsede El Alto)
• Universidad Tecnológica Boliviana
• Universidad Tecnológica Privada de Santa Cruz
• Universidad Unidad
• Universidad Unión Bolivariana
• Universidad Privada de Ciencias Administrativas y Tecnológicas
• Universidad Simón I. Patiño

ICT in education initiatives

Virtual initiatives in schools

Escuela PorvenirThe goal of this Village Power 2000 project is to provide electricity and an Internet connection to a school in deep rural Porvenir, Bolivia. Porvenir is a village of 600 indigenous people living in the Amazon rainforest. Services are limited -- a diesel generator provides electricity sporadically, there is one satellite telephone and there is a small village school. The school provides education to grade 6. Geographically isolated, youth do not travel to another village or town to continue their education. Educational opportunities literally end at grade 6.

Virtual initiatives in post-secondary education

Virtual Campus

The virtual higher education in Latin America and the Caribbean (Spanish) By ANUIES-unesco

Virtual higher education in the Bolivian universities is a recent innovative experiment, not yet evaluated, that occurs in very few universities, including:

- A regional university status above international organization that receives government subsidies of the 5 Andean countries (the Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar) - A private university (nonprofit) - Two public universities (which have significant international support: one of UNESCO and other cooperation from European Union countries).

Distance Learning

Universidad Andina Simon Bolivar (Spanish)

Distance Education
For over 15 years, the Headquarters of the UASB apply new educational technologies in academic programs that use distance education mode. The operating environment for this purpose is the Center for Distance Education (CEADIS), which supports the implementation of programs partially or entirely at a distance.

e-Learning

Wikipedia (Spanish)

Although many countries have more experience in what we call e. learning, in Bolivia there are several experiences in distance education. Most institutions work via moodle, ie platform, however the UNSXX has extensive experience in distance education through a distance education program for regular teachers.

In Bolivia many state-owned universities are conducting classes of Distance Education, among which are: Technical University of Oruro (http://www2.dpicuto.edu.bo/) and the Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar .

Other

The new technology in Indian universities (Spanish)

The new technology will be essential part of the operation of Indian Universities recently opened in our country. The University Aymara Tupac Katari (Warisata - La Paz), the University Casimiro Huanca Quechua (Chimore - Cochabamba) and the University Bolivian Guarani and Lowland Villages (Machareti - Chuquisaca) Internet service will also be networked and digitally between them, thanks to technical initiatives of the staff of New Technologies of Information and Communication from the Ministry of Education.

Furthermore, another link was also made via the Internet between the Minister Aguilar and Mr. Andoni Mujika, representative of the University of Mondragon (Basque Country - Spain). In the opportunity this university has committed to cooperate fully in the implementation of the Bolivian Indian Universities, as the Basque university has advanced experience of a trilingual education model -Euskera, Castilian, English- and heavy use of new information technologies and communication.

Interesting Programmes

There is the Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar.

Re.ViCa Case-study

None.

References

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