Education In Paraguay

Education In Paraguay

by

Maria Kruk

Frankly speaking, education is not very valuable thing in Paraguay, which is preconditioned by historic issues. For a long time it was neglected by Paraguayan leaders and Presidents, which paid attention to sharpening their authority and dealing with international affairs, rather than considering internal issues. Even one of the latest political leaders of the country, Alfredo Stroessner, maintaining control over every branch of public life, did not contribute to the development of educational system. Small step forward was made in 1992, when the new law was proclaimed pointing out that educational institutions might be an object of investment not only for state authority, but private enterprises as well. Though, it still did not work out fully (small annual growth) and is constantly being ignored.

The entire range of investing is related to increase of teachers salary and modernization of educational programs. In addition, Paraguay has a small number of children to teach: being accepted to school in Asuncion

they study 700 hours per year and, on the contrary, in Santiago this indicator is 1500 hours. The school attendance is obligatory in the age of 7-13 years and state education appears to be free. Pre-school stage is comprised with four levels: maternal (3 years), pre-Jardin (3-4), Jardin (4-5), Pre-escolar (5-6). Elementary education consists of nine grades, which are followed by secondary education passed in the period of 15-18 years.

At least 10 universities were established in Paraguay during 1990s, which supplemented the oldest ones like national University of Asuncion founded in 1889. It has campuses almost in every big city of Paraguay with main one in San Lorenzo (9km away from Asuncion). In 1960 Catholic University Nuestra Seora de la Asuncion was founded. One might guess that it is natural that Asuncion is the biggest educational and scientific center in Paraguay, which is also contributed by the Academy of Sciences of Paraguay, the Academy of Guaran Language and Culture, native American Indians in Paraguay, Autonomous University of Asuncion (1978), Columbia University of Paraguay (1991), Northern university (1991), University of the Southern Cone of the Americas (1996). There are undergraduate, post graduate as well as doctorate levels of studies that can be obtained in these universities. Universities in Paraguay offer a big variety of study programmes and related subjects, but, being renewed since 1990s, they cannot be regarded as the competitor of those ones in other countries, including neighboring states.

Maria Kruk, an author

VisitParaguay.net

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