The minister of education announced Wednesday that the government will nearly double the budget for higher education.
In a meeting with the Colombian Association of Universities (ASCUN) and the State University System (SUE), Minister of Education Maria Fernando Campo came to an agreement with the groups to raise their budget from $130 million (COP260 billion) to $249 million (COP440 billion) in the proposed education reform (Law 30).
However, Campo also explained that the government is still in the position to allow private institutions to help co-finance universities, an issue strongly opposed by ASCUN and SUE.
Included in the education reform is a chapter that will address the financial, administrative, and academic autonomy of universities, another controversial issue that higher education groups are contesting.
The proposed education reform will be officially presented to Congress for the start of the new legislative session on July 14.