By the end of 2022, Education Minister Alejandro Gaviria held the Second Virtual Meeting of Secretariats of Education, in order to provide the necessary guidance to the Certified Territorial Entities (ETC) on key issues to end this year and educational management in their territories during 2023.
In the space for dialogue and accompaniment to the 97 ETCs in the country, Minister Gaviria stated that, “Four months in the Ministry allow us to have a convergence between the initial visions, between what were the dreams of a political project and the real possibilities that will remain in the National Development Plan, as well as to identify priority issues for the sector. We wanted to hold this meeting at the end of the year to present a balance and be able to interact with the Secretariats of Education to resolve some concerns.“.
According to the head of portfolio, some “important” priorities have been identified. In Higher education has set a coverage goal of 500,000 new young people entering the system. Faced with preschool, basic and secondary education, the reconceptualization of the School Feeding Program (PAE), as a strategy that contributes to food security by advancing towards the universalization of school feeding. Regarding educational infrastructure, important advances are expected with new resources as a result of the budget addition, “this effort will focus especially on rural areas and higher education infrastructure,” announced the Minister.
He also indicated that there is great concern about quality education, beyond the learning losses left by the pandemic, the pre-eminence of schools and colleges in society must be recovered, as learning environments for community development, the life and peace. “An education that incorporates sports, art and culture is key to the cultural change that peace and reconciliation requireGaviria said.
The fundamental topics that were developed during the meeting were: financial closure that according to the portfolio, in recent years the General Participation System (SGP) It has grown less than the teaching staff payroll, therefore, only in the current term, there is a deficit to cover the provision of educational services of approximately $1.25 billion.
On the other hand, he looked at the balance in the registration closing, ensuring that the national average of progress in the total enrollment report de students for 2023 is at 54.3% (cut to December 19, 2022), with the Girón, Mosquera, Cúcuta and Cauca ETCs registering more than 90% progress in official enrollment.
Regarding the School Food Program (PAE), the Ministry states that by 2023 through Resolution 359 of December 2022, the national Government, through the Ministry of Education and the Food for Learning Unit, it assigned more than $1.2 billion to the 97 FTEs that execute the PAE in Colombia. The PAE budget grew by more than $103,000 million.
To reach the universality of the PAE, as Minister Gaviria has proposed, an additional budget close to $1.1 trillion is required. The money is being managed with the Ministry of Finance, hoping that it will come from the resources of the Tax Reform.
Finally, yesThe dialogue of the Todos a Aprender (PTA) programs was given, which developed its actions in three strategic areas: territorial management, pedagogical management and administrative management. By 2023, its role of continuous and situated training will be strengthened, accompanying teachers and teaching directors in the autonomous structuring of the curricula, seeking their contribution to social justice and peace.
BRIEFCASE
