With the aim of improving the reading, comprehension and production of written texts of the students of San Juan, the Government of the province, with the Ministry of Education, presented the Jurisdictional Literacy Plan. Although the objective is to reach the total number of students at the Initial, Primary and Secondary level, which are around 260,000 students, in the first year of applying this plan, they would reach 100,000, distributed in 179 educational institutions. This plan is scheduled to begin to be fully implemented in July.
The main reason that ended up triggering this plan, which has been in the works since February under the management of Marcelo Orrego, was the result of the last Learn test. In this exam, which is taken throughout the country and San Juan students are not immune, the results were alarming: in the Primary School, 40.5% of the students are at a basic level or below in Language, and in Mathematics registered 57.1%. At the secondary level, 46.5% are at basic level or below in Language and 88.6% in Mathematics.
“Many of these students who finish primary school with low levels of reading ability are destined to go through secondary school with serious difficulties and a high risk of dropping out of school,” said the Minister of Education, Silvia Fuentes, adding that if they do not take letters in the matter will immediately cause the life plan of these young people to be at risk.
As he was able to know HUARPE DIARY, the literacy plan will begin intensively in July, reaching a total of 179 schools, which in number of students is 100,000, both at the initial, primary and secondary levels. It is worth mentioning that last May they began the “Transforming Secondary School” program, which is also included in this literacy plan and which has already reached 50 schools.
“In 2024, the plan will focus on raising awareness and listening to all actors in the system to improve the teaching and learning of reading and writing, complemented with additional programs,” Fuentes added at a press conference.
As will be
The plan is divided into the Initial, Primary, Secondary and Higher Education levels, with different approaches depending on the case. In this sense, it was explained that there will be teacher training and they estimate to reach 800 educators first. There will also be specialized support for students; teaching materials will be distributed to both teachers and students; the use of an additional hour to dedicate to literacy and remedial actions for those who do not reach expected levels.
On the other hand, but linked, there will be monitoring throughout the process, making reading fluency evaluations and based on the results, making the pertinent adjustments to the plan. All this with the sole purpose of helping the future of San Juan.
In this sense, the Initial Literacy specialist, Beatriz Diuk, stated that “it is essential that children enjoy the literacy process again, with enthusiasm from the first grade. This requires good literature that awakens the desire to read and write, as well as effective teaching strategies to make it a reality.
State policy in the land of Sarmiento
The governor of San Juan, Marcelo Orrego, highlighted the importance of this literacy plan and stated that “education is a State policy in our land, the land of Sarmiento. All problems have an educational root, and we will face these challenges to that education fulfills its fundamental role”.
“We need the support of teachers, who are crucial to transforming reality,” said the provincial leader, adding that, “this is the way, and we will work together investing economic, material and human resources.”
