The Ministry of Education submitted the National Agreement for Higher Education to Congress this weekwhich aims to transform the financing scheme for this level of education, so that public institutions can face the financial challenges they face.
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According to the portfolio, Articles 86 and 87 of Law 30 of 1992 are being sought to be amended with regard to the financing of public universities.professional technical institutions, technological institutions, universities or state or official technological schools, and public establishments of the territorial order.
Generally speaking, currently The financing model established in Law 30 is based on state values that are adjusted each year according to the consumer price index (CPI).
However, the Ministry maintains that this scheme does not take into account the real increase in the coverage of the system, the improvement in quality or the increase in costs associated with the provision of educational services, generating “a significant financial gap in Public Higher Education Institutions.”
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For this reason, the objective of the project is that, for example, contributions to universities and professional technical institutions, technological institutions, universities or state or official technological schools are calculated based on the budget assigned to each institution, and adjusted according to the Higher Education Cost Index (ICES).
Another point is that if the Ices is lower than the variation in the CPI, the increase in contributions from the General Budget of the Nation (PGN) will be adjusted based on the rate recorded in inflation.
“From the PGN, resources equivalent to 0.05% of the GDP calculated by the Dane in the first year of application of the Law will be allocated, to establish the budgetary base of educational institutions.“, the ministry says.
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Minister of Education, Daniel Rojas Medellín.
Courtesy
Even the Minister of Education, Daniel Rojas Medellín, assured that The Government’s aim is to advance not only the financing of education, but also the well-being, quality and relevance of the sector. “This National Agreement unites us as Colombians and is the best legacy we can leave behind,” Rojas said.
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Some actors have been in favour of this agreement. One example of approval was that of the Industrial University of Santander (UIS), an entity that stated that education stands out as the main vehicle for social mobilisation, Therefore, the expected progress is the approval of the initiative.
“This project is consistent with the purpose of significantly improving the comprehensive development of Colombians, by placing higher education in a priority place in the country’s future projections.“, they indicated.
However, one of the questions that higher education has had has been the low and poor investment in developing countries and how this affects the spheres of the sector.
In response to this, Adolfo Meisel Roca, rector of Uninorte, pointed out that “If we improved the efficiency of what we spend, which can be done, we could have more resources to invest where they should be: school meals, school infrastructure, teacher training, among others.”.
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Additionally, Oscar Dominguez Gonzalez, executive director of the Colombian Association of Universities (Ascun), told El Nuevo Siglo that Currently, the right to education is not being guaranteed for the entire population because the State does not have the financial conditions to do so in practice.
Education
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“We believe that it is a step in the right direction to focus on adjusting articles 86 and 87 of Law 30, which change the financial reality of public universities and resolve their structural underfunding since 1992.“, he added.
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The Ministry of Education has emphasized that additional resources will be allocated to promote the National Agreement initiative. These benefits will be aimed at progressively increasing access, permanence and graduation of undergraduate students from higher education institutions.
In addition, the improvement of the quality and relevance of the offer is proposed; institutional well-being; strengthening the teaching and administrative staff of public institutions; addressing the variations resulting from the application of the current teacher salary and benefits system and for infrastructure projects and quality strengthening plans.
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“Additional resources will be subject to budget availability, and the Government will monitor their efficient and transparent use. We continue to build a public, free and quality education, that will be the legacy of the Government.“, they noted.
Truckers strike 2024
Milton Diaz
More education, less ACPM?
Considering the situation that the country is facing due to the truckers’ strike due to the increase in the Acpm, The Ministry recorded the investments that could be made in the education sector with the resources from the subsidies on that fuel.
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In detail, the portfolio stressed that with the billion pesos monthly that the subsidy for this fuel costs, in this line 179,104 new teachers could be invested in schools and colleges across the country.
Additionally, with those same resources, the entire debt of Icetex debtors could be forgiven in nine months. Also, with that billion It would finance the construction of at least 120 university campuses and the education of 180,000 young people for one year.
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“Gradually reducing the subsidy to the diesel fuel is a measure of national responsibility, we inherited a fiscal gap that cannot be charged to the people,” the ministry said. Finally, the head of the Ministry stressed that “The true fuel of a society is education”.
