This project we will provide learning guides to 198,000 children in Colombia, and training for their teachers in participatory, collaborative learning approaches. Through this project, we promote a new type of school and role of the teacher, and renovated teaching practices that focus on the child to contribute to improve the quality of learning and help break the cycle of poverty by decreasing the education gap between rural and urban areas.
Colombia has the 2nd highest rates of inequality in the Latin American region. This situation is particularly evident in rural vs. urban settings. Rural populations suffer from incomplete schooling, lack of learning materials for children and untrained teachers. These conditions result in low enrollment rates, poor academic results and high dropout and repetition rates. Thus, inequality cycles are perpetuated. The implementation of the Escuela Nueva model will help revert this problem.
FEN will provide the training and resources to implement a pedagogical model built on the principles of active, participatory and cooperative learning. The self paced, self directed learning guides are at the core of the model, promoting interaction and dialogue among peers, with the teacher, families and the community. They propose activities that the students can complete individually, in pairs or in groups, becoming active learners.
Our model has been proved to be a cost-effective, highly adaptable and sustainable approach to increase quality of education. Numerous evaluations worldwide have demonstrated results in improved academic achievements, as well as in fostering civic and democratic behaviors in children, and strong social skills. Through these results, skills and attitudes we will improve their lives as well as those of their families, and contribute to combat poverty, inequality and exclusion.
