Perspectives on Managing Budget Increase for Colombian Education

Last Wednesday, in the second debate of Congress, the General Budget of the Nation (PGN)within which the highest increase was recorded for education, leaving a budget allocation for this sector at more than $70 billion.

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According to the portfolio, for preschool, basic and secondary education, these resources will allow expand initial coverage, guarantee comprehensive training, teacher well-being, implementation of the School Feeding Program (PAE) and strengthening rural schoolsamong others.

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Likewise, the Minister of Education, Aurora Figueroaassured that with this budget the public universities and the network of technical and technological institutes would have operating resources to finance the ‘University in your Territory’ strategy.

Now, by consulting different actors in the sector, Portafolio had the opportunity to learn about the perspectives of these characters, on how these resources could be managed to strengthen Colombian education.

In that sense, José Manuel Restrepo, rector of the EIA Universityexplained to this medium that investment in education must have as its first priority guaranteeing educational quality, especially in basic and secondary education.

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“Efforts must also continue where needed to guarantee 100% coverage in primary and high school education. But above all, we must think about quality, which implies investing resources in teacher training.”, he noted.

The rector stated that being “such significant resources”, “I hope they are aimed at the quality of the entire system, which is the starting point so that people can have employability and the ability to understand“, said.

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At your turn, Gloria Bernal, director of the Educational Economics Laboratory (LEE) of the Javeriana Universitypointed out that greater coverage of early childhood is essential, with comprehensive attention to mental health, nutrition, sexuality and gender issues.

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“An increase in the number of venues that offer a single day is essential, ideally to 100%. This accompanied by school feeding. Two meals during the single day. In addition to aggressive policies to prevent school dropouts. Also to identify dropouts and reinsert them into the educational system”he added. Regarding the higher level, The directive said that strengthening access to quality education must be prioritized.

In the same line, Andrea Escobar, executive director of the Entrepreneurs for Education Foundationhighlighted the repeated need to allocate a greater amount of resources to improve the quality of the preschool, basic and secondary educational levels, as well as that the educational offer must be improved at the national level.

“Currently, 88% of the budget allocated to education is concentrated in the operating area, so the efficiency of the 12% allocated to investment must contribute to the development of boys, girls and young people so that they can have careers harmonious and complete, as well as the necessary skills to achieve their life projects”, he concluded.

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The analysts consulted reiterated the need to invest in projects that contemplate innovation.

(U. del Rosario opens the first entrepreneurship faculty in Colombia).

According to Andrea Escobar, this innovative model “It must be implemented from the classrooms and promoted by the management of educational establishments and the country’s territories”.

Likewise, the rector of the EIA, José Manuel Restrepo, explained that Currently, education must aim to look at how to strengthen the country’s capacity in science, technology and innovation.

DIANA K. RODRÍGUEZ T.
Portfolio Journalist