Education in Latin America and the Caribbean

The territory of Latin America has experienced a big economical growth and development during the 90s of the last century. It seemed that difficulties were overcome and new stage of development was achieved. The crisis of the 80s was left behind and new perspective and horizons of development in the economical, political and social field appeared for countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. But the euphoria and happiness caused by the rapid success and major changes was changed to new depression nowadays. And though the crises in not as deep as it used to be in the last century and steps to progress were made, problems the countries from Venezuela through Peru to Argentina face today are essential and its evident that brave and courageous expectations for rapid changes and economical wonder will not come true.

Political leaders and governors of the Latin American countries proclaim the ideas of economical growth, reduced poverty, social equality, opportunities f or personal development, business development and the equality between the representatives of the different classes. These are the things ordinary people who choose their governess seek also. So, sounds like both ordinary people and their governors seek for the same thing. But still this doesnt happen or even if it does, the changes are too slow and the short periods of progress are interrupted by the long periods of stagnation. There were made a lot of researches to find the possible reasons of such a situation and possible ways of solutions. A lot of scholars from different fields share same point of view. They all state that educational systems of the countries and educational traditions formed through the centuries have a very big influence on the economical, political and social life of the countries.

Changes which take place in these countries occur in the historical and cultural context where education was never considered to be essential and important pArt of the system. In the past countries of Latin America and the Caribbean were dominated by the small groups of educated elite and the rest of the population didnt get any education at all. Hieratical and highly stratified society was closed for the outer influences and very slow to change. This is how Mexican Nobel laureate Octavio Paz describes the difference in the structure of societies and ways of thinking of Latin America and the US: To cross the border between is to change civilizations. Americans are the children of the Reformation, and their origins are those of the modern world; we Mexicans are the children of the Spanish empire, the champion of the Counterreformation, a movement that opposed the new modernity and failed.

Its common truth that universal high-quality basic education prepares people to take responsibilities for their lives, makes them creative, independent individuals who make a health and developed society. As education develops, poverty and inequality will be over-come, states Enrique Iglesias, the President of the Inter-American Development Bank.

The historical development and cultural traditions of Latin American and the Caribbean countries have left the prophesy which created the problems in the education modern society has to deal with now. And though a big effort during several last years was made to overcome them, these problems are still topical. These problems include the lack of trained and qualified teachers (poor salary teachers get for their job can be one of the roots of the problem), lack of monitoring of teaching and programs, problems with distanced learning using such modern educational techniques as Internet. Cube looks like a very nice exception among the countries of Latin America which faces a lot of problems in the sphere of e ducation. A lot of research was made to find out the reason of such a difference and finally it was proved that such a good state of the educational system was created by the higher number of good teachers. Also Cuban teachers are often evaluated, and those who fall behind are sent back for refresher courses.

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Author:: Aaron SchwArtz
Keywords:: Education in Latin America and the Caribbean
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