Argentina: PUBLIC EDUCATION in CRISIS

Argentinean Education in Crisis.



During the last twenty years it can be said that EDUCATION in ARGENTINA has been submerged into a DEEP CRISIS. Although some sources claim that this country owns a high rate of literacy (compared to other countries in Latin American), it is true that economic and social factors have made the quality of education decay. Teachers' poor salaries, violence inside the classroom, parents with low salaries and insufficient educational policies have emphasized this trend. What is more, the economic instability the country has suffered during the last decades left it unable to tackle the educational crisis with the suitable weapons. Even when education is considered a powerful instrument to overcome the current situation, the Argentinean government fails in providing their children with the education they deserve.

The FOUNDATION for SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT published an article where they state that although the 97% of  Argentinean people are literate there is an important absence of educational support for children in need. In this site it is also said that the economic crisis left families with poor living conditions and educational support. In order to counteract this tendency some policies were taken. Food kitchens and shelters were developed to provide basic needs. As a consequence, it is believed that parents send their children to school just because they are fed there, but not because they value the education their children receive.But the question is: is it POSITIVE or NEGATIVE? 

 
Considering PUBLIC SCHOOLS just as places to go and be fed and taken in IS A CATASTROPHE. The government together with the society are in the profound need of getting back the importance of schools as places where children go and develop their potential. Education gives them the opportunity to grow not only in intelligence but also as a member of society. A person highly educated knows what is fair and what is unfair. What their rights are, and what they deserve as a member of society. But most of all  "EDUCATION is an EMANCIPATORY FORCE". Corrupt governments can not play around with societies of educated people simply because they are aware of it. 

Teacher union strikes are habitual pictures in the Argentinean newspapers when the school year is about to start. Each year it's the same: students do not know if they will start the school year because teachers have not received what they demand. Along with the problems with the buildings and overcrowded schools, teachers' salaries have proved to be weaknesses in the government's performance. 
Governments of different provinces have invested part of the available budget in technology and social programmes such as giving students netbooks and food allowances for each of them. Still, there is a great consensus in the fact that these measures result not sufficient to overcome the situation inside the classrooms. Beyond the need for educational support lies the urgent need of emotional guidance and sometimes psychological sustainance ("Youth, Education and Development issues in Argentina" para. 3). 

All in all it is important to highlight the biggest truth behind this quandary: EDUCATION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE IN THE GOVERMENT'S AGENDA. Let's command them to provide our children with the EDUCATION THEY DESERVE.  
 To end up this post I would like to share this image which depicts what Education should be for all societies:

 








Sources:

• http://www.fsdinternational.org/country/argentina/yeissues
• http://www.educationincrisis.net/blog/item/1195-the-clash-of-education-visions
• http://www.argentinaindependent.com/currentaffairs/analysis/the-social-mobility-paradox-and-the-educational-crisis-in-argentina/

Images URL: 

• http://thyblackman.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/education-crisis-2014.jpg
• http://www.dw.de/image/0,,15922692_401,00.jpg
• http://a57.foxnews.com/global.fncstatic.com/static/managed/img/fn-latino/news/660/371/UC-Davis.jpg?ve=1&tl=1
• http://www.argentinaindependent.com/wp-content/uploads/School-Protest-by-Beatrice-Murch1.jpg
• http://www.chicoverdose.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/nelson-mandela-and-education.jpg