SOCIAL JUSTICE OR SOCIAL JUSTICE OR INJUSTICE IN INJUSTICE IN EDUCATION EDUCATION

SYSTEM SYSTEM IN 6 DIFFERENTS COUNTRIES, IN 6 DIFFERENTS COUNTRIES,

Access and qualityAccess and quality

Luis Fernando Aranguren

Why education?Why education?

1.1. ““Everybody has right to educationEverybody has right to education2.2. Education shall be directed to the full Education shall be directed to the full

development of human personality and development of human personality and to the strengthening of respect for to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedomshuman rights and fundamental freedoms

3.3. It shall promote understanding, It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace”Nations for the maintenance of peace”

(art.26 - Universal Declaration of Human Rights)(art.26 - Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

ACCESS & QUALITYACCESS & QUALITY Access:Access:

– Gender issuesGender issues– School available,School available,– Free educationFree education– Public & private educationPublic & private education– LibraryLibrary– Internet and other mediaInternet and other media– Availability of all possible majorsAvailability of all possible majors

BUT?BUT?

Quality:Quality:– Not only literacy and numeracyNot only literacy and numeracy– Making the teacher training consistentMaking the teacher training consistent– Traditional system methodsTraditional system methods– Improve new methodologiesImprove new methodologies– Comparison of different teaching system Comparison of different teaching system – Degree comparables with foreign Degree comparables with foreign

universitiesuniversities

Colombia

Colombia

• Gender Issues: (Since +/- 30 years ago. The same right • School available:

– Basic and middle school: • Public: free 70%*• Private: expensive 30%*

– Superior education• Public: cheap, good quality 30% public universities *• Private: Expensive good quality 70% private universities *

• Literacy rate • Women: 92%**• Men: 91%**

• Library and Internet: Main cities: free access. small cities or villages: Not access.

* Source: Ministry of education. www.mineducacion.gov.co** Source: CIA www.cia.gov

ColombiaColombiaBasic and media educationBasic and media education

National coverage

students

Covera

ge r

ate

s

students Coverage rate

Year

Source: Colombian education minister

ColombiaColombiaSuperior educationSuperior education

National coverage

students

Covera

ge r

ate

s

students Coverage rate

Year

Source: Colombian education ministry

Social Justice in Thailand: Educational Access and

Quality

Wasan Chantong

DVM, MSc

(PhD student)

The Structure of the Thai Education System Pre-primary education

(Three years)

Primary education(Six years)

Lower-secondary education(Three years)

Upper-secondary education (Three years)

Higher education(Four years for Bachelor’s degree)

Educational System and Network

Central: Ministry of Education

Network: public and private institutions

Neighboring countries: Lao PDR and Cambodia

School atmosphere

Access 1: Educational Opportunity

• Gender issues– both Thai male and female

are provided equal opportunity to access to life-long education and training

• Disabilities– Provide public education to

the disabled, the handicapped and the under-privileged.

Girl-guides and crippled boy scouts stand hand in hand during their gathering.

Access 2: Education Technology System

and Information Network • Increase and disperse

the opportunities for education for all Thais in both urban and rural areas. – Tele-education (Thai-com

satellite)– Television set– Computer and internet

•H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn

has always paid special attention

to education for young people.

Access 3: Availability

• Universities and Community Colleges – 65 public and private

universities and colleges– 17 institutions are

community colleges• 150 other educational

institutions – offering various

vocational degrees

•Classroom atmosphere

Quality1: Literacy

• Currently according to UNDP, the literacy rate in Thailand is 92.6 per cent– male: 94.9% – female: 90.5%

(www.cia.gov, retrieved July 26, 2006)

• Need to develop more

Quality 2: Teachers

• High-quality teachers and educators – basic ethical requirements – 5-year-course Bachelor’s degree in Education– Professional certificate– High salary

• Inadequate number of quality teachers and financial supports

Quality 3: Tradition and new methodology

• Traditional system methods– the integration of education, religion, culture

and sports into the educational and training curriculum

• Improvement of new methodology– the integrative learning process– the "learner-centered approach“– self-education and life-long education

Quality 4: knowledge-based society

• On-going access; need time to measure the quality– Power of creativity– A love of reading– Sufficient community-based libraries, learning

centers and educational media

Jorge Pintor

General BackgroundGeneral Background

Primary and Secondary SchoolPrimary and Secondary School

UniversityUniversity

The Gitano CaseThe Gitano Case

Primary and Secondary SchoolPrimary and Secondary School

Most government-funded/Private institutionsMost government-funded/Private institutions Usually good (though not excellent)Usually good (though not excellent)

UniversityUniversity

Fees (Usually Low)Fees (Usually Low) Good students with good marks don’t pay if Good students with good marks don’t pay if

they apply for government grantsthey apply for government grants

The Gitano Case (i)The Gitano Case (i)

650.000 650.000 gitanos gitanos 1.6% of the population1.6% of the population According to According to Alfagueme Alfagueme

y Martínezy Martínez, (2004):, (2004):

-50

50

150

250

350

450

550

650

2000-2001

Total NO. ofStudents

Primary School

SecondarySchool

The Gitano Case (ii)The Gitano Case (ii)

Idiosyncrasy of the family

Society/Racism

The Gitano Case (iii)The Gitano Case (iii)

36% of the Gitano students do not attend lessons

Fundación Secretariado General Gitano (1994):

Social Justice in Brazil :

Educational Access and Quality

Cristiano C. Nunes

Social Justice: Educational System in Brazil

Primary Education

Secondary Education

Higher Education

Access and/or Quality…

?

Access

• Gender issues

• Compulsory

• Schools available

• Free education

• Public and private

Primary and Secondary School

• Important Characteristics

– Public x Private

– 1990’s

– Meals

– Library

• Higher Education ?

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/LACEXT/BRAZILEXTN/0,,menuPK:322351~pagePK:141132~piPK:141107~theSitePK:322341,00.html

Higher Education

– General Characteristics

• Expansion during 1990’s

• Different organizations

– Federal

– State

– Municipal

– Private

– Federal University

Universidade Federal de Viçosa - UFV

http://www.ufv.br/http://www.ufv.br/proplan/ufvnumeros/numeros2005.pdf

• Undergraduate Courses

• Graduate Courses

• Library

Education and Social Justice Education and Social Justice in Iraqin Iraq

Dena K. MohammadDena K. Mohammad

M.A. American StudiesM.A. American Studies

Access to EducationAccess to Education Free EducationFree Education

– Free education from elementary to high Free education from elementary to high schoolschool

– Some state universities provide free Some state universities provide free educationeducation

– Private universities are not freePrivate universities are not free

Availability of MajorsAvailability of Majors– Certain fields of study are not available in Certain fields of study are not available in

universitiesuniversities

LibrariesLibraries– City libraries are free and available in the City libraries are free and available in the

three major cities across Iraqthree major cities across Iraq– Access to library services is free in schools Access to library services is free in schools

and universitiesand universities– Sources and materials are generally old Sources and materials are generally old

publications / lack of up-to-date materialspublications / lack of up-to-date materials– Access to internet and media services is strict Access to internet and media services is strict

and limitedand limited

Quality of EducationQuality of Education Access and quality do not go hand in handAccess and quality do not go hand in hand

– Serious deterioration in recent yearsSerious deterioration in recent years– Private education do not promise qualityPrivate education do not promise quality– Absence of social justice in all educational institutesAbsence of social justice in all educational institutes

Role of Teachers and ProfessorsRole of Teachers and Professors– Education is strictly teacher-centeredEducation is strictly teacher-centered– Serious cases of corruptionSerious cases of corruption– Teaching methods are out-of-date Teaching methods are out-of-date

Challenges to Challenges to EducationEducation– Successive Successive

Wars/AftermathWars/Aftermath– Stressful security Stressful security

situationsituation– Financial Financial

difficulties/Drop-outsdifficulties/Drop-outs

Attempts at RecoveryAttempts at Recovery– Assistance and recovery programsAssistance and recovery programs

USAID Assistance for IraqUSAID Assistance for Iraq UNESCO programsUNESCO programs

– Recovery requires community work to back Recovery requires community work to back these programs upthese programs up

Iraqi school girls talk to USAID education advisors in a classroom of the the Agadir Secondary school in the Saydiya neighborhood of Baghdad. USAID is looking at ways of updating the Iraqi school curriculum

Islamic Republic Islamic Republic

of Afghanistanof Afghanistan

Education and DiscriminationEducation and Discrimination

Before 1979, Russian InvasionBefore 1979, Russian Invasion Access to education was lowAccess to education was low Education centered only in big cities like Education centered only in big cities like

Kabul, Kandahar, Heart, Mazar e SharifKabul, Kandahar, Heart, Mazar e Sharif Only the families related to the king had Only the families related to the king had

the right of education and higher the right of education and higher educationeducation

Students were mostly boysStudents were mostly boys The quality of Education was good and The quality of Education was good and

was comparable to other countrieswas comparable to other countries

After Bonn conference in 2001After Bonn conference in 2001 Learning strategyLearning strategy

Article 45 of Afghanistan constitution: Article 45 of Afghanistan constitution: states develop unified curriculum based states develop unified curriculum based on on

Islamic principleIslamic principle National cultureNational culture Based on scientific methodsBased on scientific methods

Religious subjects based on branches of Religious subjects based on branches of IslamIslam

Access to the education is very high Access to the education is very high and successfuland successful 1500000 children went to school in 2004 as 1500000 children went to school in 2004 as

well as 2005well as 2005 All children will be at schools by 2015All children will be at schools by 2015

Equity education for girls and boysEquity education for girls and boys Schools are open for both girls and boys in Schools are open for both girls and boys in

urban and rural areasurban and rural areas according to article 44 of Afghanistan according to article 44 of Afghanistan

Constitution the state is responsible to Constitution the state is responsible to develop education all over the country for develop education all over the country for both girls and boysboth girls and boys

Quality has become a high priority Quality has become a high priority because the quantity is on a regular because the quantity is on a regular and satisfactory progressand satisfactory progress The Quality is improving by:The Quality is improving by:

Curriculum developmentCurriculum development New textbooks in our national languages New textbooks in our national languages

(farsi and pashtoo)(farsi and pashtoo) Teacher education programsTeacher education programs

Content of educationContent of education Development of culture of peaceDevelopment of culture of peace Respect for human rightsRespect for human rights National and international National and international

understandingunderstanding BrotherhoodBrotherhood ForgivenessForgiveness Reconstruction of AfghanistanReconstruction of Afghanistan Safeguarding its territorial integrity and Safeguarding its territorial integrity and

IndependenceIndependence

Literacy

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Colombia Spain Thailand Brazil Iraq Afghanistan peru

Total

CIA - the World Fact Book

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Colombia Spain Thailand Brazil Iraq Peru Afghanistan

Male

Female

CONCLUSIONS

• WE HAVE SEEN differences and similarities among countries (multiples perspectives)

• WE CAN LEARN from each other’s experiences and educational systems

• WE MUST find ways to improve education all over the world

Potential obstacles

• Political corruption

• Ambition and egoism

• Indifference

• War

United Nations role

• Second UN Millennium Development Goal (to 2015):

ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION: Ensure that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling.

• NEXT STEP: REAL POLITICAL DECISION (NOT ONLY DECLARATIVE) AND, ABOVE ALL, $$$.

… United Nations role

"We will have time to reach the Millennium Development Goals – worldwide and in most, or even all, individual countries – but only if we break with business as usual. We cannot win overnight. Success will require sustained action across the entire decade between now and the deadline. It takes time to train the teachers, nurses and engineers; to build the roads, schools and hospitals; to grow the small and large businesses able to create the jobs and income needed. So we must start now. And we must more than double global development assistance over the next few years. Nothing less will help to achieve the Goals."

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi A. Annan

Fulbright role• We, as Fulbright Fellows, are direct witness of

the great work that Fulbright does to improve education around the world.

• Fulbright gives brilliant students from all over the world (LIKE US) the opportunity to complete the “last step” in our education process.

• Also, with its competitive system, Fulbright pushes young students to make a great career in order to be eligible in the future.

Our role

“With great power come great responsibilities”

Spiderman (2002)

Please, note the quotation, so do not accuse us of plagiarism.

… Our role

• We can change that phrase and say “With great education comes great responsibilities” Alonso (2006) –please do not plagiarize the phrase-, and make the compromise to work in favor of our countries, as politicians, volunteers, educators, investigators, business man, etc.

… Our role

• We have received this great opportunity, and we are in debt to the world.