- The pandemic made visible the importance of the role of the family, the community and the teaching team in educational processes.
- Distance education programs are not being effective, we girls, boys and adolescents are not learning, that must have been a temporary measure and not a permanent one. We are not being included in the development of the new educational systems, we have the right to participate in the topics that interest us: Students.
The evidence available so far shows that during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, confinement reached 9 out of 10 girls, boys and adolescents in the world, distancing them from educational establishments at the same time the deficiencies became visible in the Educational Systems of Latin America, before which specialists warn of the need to restructure them, including the protagonist participation of children.
During the Webinar How to involve children in the transformation of the Educational System? Organized by the Initiative Weaving Childhood Nets for Latin America and the Caribbean, which was broadcast on the platforms of Ollin, Tv, Juan Martín Pérez, Coordinator of the Initiative Weaving Childhood Networks for Latin America and the Caribbean, began the dialogue by mentioning that the pandemic made it evident that the current Educational Systems no longer work in the face of the current needs of children and youth, in addition to adding to the educational lag in the region.
Madeleine Zúñiga, National Coordinator of Peruvian Campaign for the Right to Education, contributed that the pandemic also made the role of the family, the community and the teacher in educational processes more visible. "The teacher's assessment has been very evident, we recognize the effort behind by the teachers who are currently teaching distance classes", He said. For his part, Juan Martín Pérez argued that traditional educational models separate or do not link the community, families and students.
Pablo Caggiani from National Institute of Educational Evaluation in Uruguay, He warned that the closure of schools has affected the execution of other rights that are developed in educational establishments such as the right to socialization, information, recreation, expression, access to culture and mental health.
Juan Martín Pérez, revealed that one of the main demands of students, with respect to current educational models, is that “meaningful learning” is taken into account, that is, one that allows them to build and evaluate their own learning while maintaining the same capabilities of each student. Regarding what should change in current educational systems, Madeleine Zúñiga said the following: "We cannot go back to what there was, it is necessary to evaluate What do we teach and what do we teach? Without forgetting to include girls, boys and adolescents in this debate." In the same vein, Juan Martín Pérez added that it is necessary to include the perspective of children's rights in the training that teachers receive, leaving behind adult-centered models.
Regarding the viability of the adult world listening and taking into account the opinion of children in the development of educational systems, Pablo Caggiani pointed out that one of the greatest challenges is to achieve that what is established in the Children's rights convention, be the axis of the execution of current educational plans, which are rigid and do not work in modernity. In addition, he specified that it is plausible that in the world there are already many exercises where the opinion of children and adolescents is collected, which can serve as a reference.
On current educational systems, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, Diana del Colectivo #Evaluation Fair in Mexico he mentioned: “Unfortunately, distance education programs are not being effective, we girls, boys and adolescents are not learning, that should have been a temporary measure and not a permanent one. We are not being included in the development of the new educational systems, when we are the ones who live it day by day; we have the right to participate in the topics that interest us ”.
Faced with the demand of Latin American students to be listened to and taken into account in regard to their education, Madeleine Zúñiga proposes that it is necessary for authorities, legislators and decision-makers to become aware of children's rights in order to transcend current obstacles.
Regarding the role of the State in the development of educational projects and systems, Juan Martín Pérez recognized the importance of not politicizing the educational issue, favoring political interests.
Among the requests made by the members of the collective #Evaluation Fair They are: that education is not discriminatory or a privilege marked by social positions, that there are equal opportunities for all and all students, that there is a public dialogue with the educational authorities in Mexico.
Finally, the specialists agreed that it is necessary to build a new educational agenda with the accompaniment of girls, boys, adolescents and young people, their families, teachers and society, including the concepts of progressive autonomy and meaningful learning, having present at all times the best interests of children.
If you would like more information on this topic, please request an interview with Juan Martín Pérez, Regional Coordinator of the Initiative Weaving Childhood Networks for Latin America and the Caribbean.
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Ollin.TV is an Internet television channel created as part of Weaving Childhood Nets in Latin America and the Caribbean an initiative co-financed by the European Union, which seeks to contribute to the strengthening and consolidation of a platform for the defense of children and adolescents in 20 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
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