Colombia’s neglectful attitude toward education is hampering its economy. Student protests may be misguided, but they raise important points about the country’s budget priorities.
In recent weeks, students throughout Colombia have protested, often violently, against the dire state of public higher education in Colombia. Simultaneous protests at Medellin’s National University branch and the University of Antioquia prompted the arrival of anti-riot police. Last week, the rector of the National University in Bogota was held hostage for five hours by demonstrating students until they were detained by the authorities. This Tuesday, thousands of Bogota university students staged a more peaceful protest in the Plaza Bolivar.
While the protesters’ methods may have been excessive and even counterproductive, their concerns are not wholly unfounded. Higher education in Colombia is severely underfunded. Education standards at public universities in particular are remarkably low, partly due to worsening budget constraints.
As usual, what could and should be a sensible debate about education policy has become highly polarized and politicized, but it is wrong to see the education debate as a confrontation between the right-leaning government and a few unruly left-leaning students. On the country, investing in higher education is a pretty obvious priority for Colombia, regardless of one’s political leanings.
A report this week published by the Comptroller General, a government office, shows that Colombia is worryingly unprepared to benefit from globalization in the coming decades. One of the country’s most obvious deficiencies, the report points out, is the country’s lack of high-skilled, educated workers: Colombia has only 7.1 Masters or PhD degree holders per million inhabitants, lower than many of its neighbors.
The country’s human capital deficiencies can partly be attributed to inadequate funding for higher education. While government investment in higher education accounts for 0.4% of Colombia’s GDP, the average in the rest of Latin America is three times higher, about 1.2% of GDP.
Admittedly, Colombia has made significant strides in education in recent decades. Population growth and rapidly expanding access to education at all levels mean that Colombia has more students than ever. The problem, according to many experts, is that broader access to education requires greater investment just to keep up with higher demand. Even the government’s Education Minister, Cecilia Maria Velez, points out that, with the number of high school students rising from 400,000 to 700,000 in the past five years, modest increments in education investment are insufficient to meet the country’s growing teaching needs.
Some city governments, including Bogota but especially Medellin, have taken the lead in the country’s struggle for higher quality and more accessible education. In the paisa capital, the local government and business leaders have collaborated to implement creative programs that prepare new generations of students for the demands of a global economy. Poor Medellin residents now have access to computer classes, entrepreneurial training and high-tech science labs.
Unfortunately, in a political system such as Colombia’s, the capacities of city governments in general are quite limited. Most cities in Colombia will have a tough time following the model of Medellin, a relatively prosperous and well-run municipality. Indeed, the future of education of Colombia depends on the political will of the national government.
Unfortunately, as protesting students know to well, that political will is sorely lacking. This year, the country’s budget reached a very telling milestone: for the first time in Colombia’s history, investment in security and defense exceeds investment in education. Nobody can deny the importance of the country’s security and stability, but certainly no other budget priority should outpace education investment.
Indeed, it is difficult to exaggerate how much is at stake. As the Comptroller General’s office warns, the country’s ability to develop a high-skilled labor and a globally competitive entrepreneurial class will determine Colombia’s place in the economy of the future. Currently, Colombia has a mid-level economy that does not produce many value-added goods or services, according to the report. If the country wants to keep up with other emerging markets and develop into a more competitive economy, investing in education should be a top priority.
gringo michae
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... the writer claims the future of education of Colombia depends on the political will of the national government. leaving to ask why should it fall just on the national government, claerly Medellin has shown city government can play a major role, if other cities are unable what about State governemnts do they not have a self interest also? |
Pablo Rojas
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... Good question. I think Medellin is a unique case that will be hard to replicate elsewhere anytime soon because of the city administration's relatively large budget and a local history of administrative order. State governments also have limited budgets and capacities. Generally, in Colombia - as opposed to, say, the United States - the national level of government has by far the greatest budgetary and administrative capacities, and therefore the greater responsibilities. |
Laureles191
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... Education has seemingly taken a back seat to other issues in the country which is unfortunate. It should always be a top priority. Two of my cunados in Medellin spend their entire paychecks on private education for their children regardless of the advancements in public schools because they feel more funding is needed. It's a shame that they have to sacrifice all their extra money for this because they feel the public schools aren't where they need to be yet. |
Bluebird
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... This has nothing to do with the article itself but why are the students pictured wearing surgical masks? Is it because of concerns about swine flu or possibly concerns about abestos in the building? Just wondering............ |
Andrewmann552
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... This is sadly, another typical consequence of neoliberal policies. Education takes a back seat to consumerism and national security. |
Adriaan
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... @ Bluebird,  It's a picture taken recently in a Medellin high school. The masks are for swine flu, nothing serious :-) |
gringomedeliin
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... maybe what is needed then is a change in how the system works, move it to a State or Local level, with funding given to them by the National Government. I grew up where money was raised at the local level with both State and Federal monies given( about 25% of total cost), the State set grad requierments, while the local board set policy, teacher contrats, construction ect... The one probllem yo get with such a set up is rich schhols, poor schools depending on the wealth of the city or town. |
azunoman
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... The fault lays directly with the Colombian people. Who need to pay their taxes and stop cheating it every way they can. It's not the government fault!...Colombia stop blaming everyone but yourselves! jezus |
Andrewmann552
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... Azunoman, although I agree people should have personal responsibility, the problem with education in Colombia is obviously bigger than just a personal problem. These are institutional failures or a system in meltdown. If the government can't be reformed into providing better education, then why even have a government? Let's just let companies run everything and rename Colombia "Uribe Inc." and when a new president comes in, the name can just be changed to "Santos Inc." |
azunoman
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... andrew...one can not take personal responsibility and then go off and blame others...until the Colombians and the rest of the world for that matter buck up and take responsibility then governments they may not like will make the decisions for them. |
lfsjuan
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... Medellin's case as too many people still thinking is quite worthless and it doesn´t representative even, if you want compare to another cities in Colombia. Actually, education in Colombia is really unproductive, lack of creativity and criticism, and obviously has a model which is a real copy of another experiences. Off course the national level of government has by far the greatest budgetary and administrative capacities, and therefore the greater responsibilities but is so far, the great mistake ever: What´s going on with the decentralization process? How to compare different kind of experiences with different realities? or education in Medellin is the same thing with expectations as people in Carepa, Antioquia or Leticia, Amazonas want it?, what about competences? I completely agree with AZOMAN, is people's fault but in addition, the academy as well (public and private).....they know what have been doing..... |
