Peru - Public investment program 1966-1967 (Vol. 5 of 7) : Education

RETURN TO RESTRICTED IREIPORTS DESK WH155 WITHIN Vol. 5 C(" 'NIE I IEIE K Vl This report was prepared for use within the Bank and its affiliated organizations. They do not accept responsibility for its accuracy or completeness. The report may not be published nor may it be quoted as representing their views. INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION AN APPRAISAL OF THE 1966-1967 PUBLIC INVESTMENT PROGRAM OF PERU (in seven volumes) VOLUME V EDUCATION December 28, 1965 Western Hemisphere Department;  CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS 1 US $ = 26. 82 Soles I Sol (S/. ) = 3.7 US cents 1 million Soles = US $37, 286  TABLE OF CONTENIS Page No Prefatory Note GENERA:L STRUCTURE *........................o.............. 1 PRIMARY EDUCATION ................ s ...... 2 SECONDARY EDUCATION ..................... ... ...... 5 HIGCER EDUCATION ......... ....... ........... .. 11 TEACHER EDUCATION ................ * ........ . .. 16 EDUCATIONAL PLANqIING ................ ..... ........ . 17 THE INVESTMENT PROGRAI.I .................... ... ..... ..... i9 ANNEX A - General Information of Significance in Educational. Planning ANNEX B - Mlanpower Criteria in Educational Planning and Manpower Organization ANNEX C - Statistica'l. Tables  PREFATORY NOTE The focal point of reference in this report is the investment program prepared in early 1965 by the National Planning Institute (IhT) as a proposed basis for the Government's investment outlays for 1.966. Subsequently, the Government's Budget proposals of August 1965 intro- duced changes in the INP prepared program. W1hile it has not been possible to revise this report to take account of these changes and comment on them, certain comments are made and some new information included in the main report (particularly Chapter II and supporting -tables). The main aspects of the analysis and policy conc'usions in the present report are still applicable in broad terms, and many of the details provide useful reference material.  GENERAJL STRUCTURE 1. Under the Peruvian Constitution, education is the responsibility of the State. The Ministry of Education exercises control over all public or private education throughout the country, excepting the universities and some independent schools under the Ministry of War. The Ministry plans the education section of the national budget (excluding the univer- sities), and allocates expenditures by departments, provinces and districts. All finance is from the National Budget, with no assistance from provincial or district governments or the municipalities. Universities are completely autonomous, although part of their expenditures are met by the state under a provision in the education budget. Private schools at lower levels are required to follow all official plans and study programs, but otherwise they enjoy a measure of autonomy. At present, they account for about 15 percent of the students below the university level. Under certain condi- tions, the Ministry may extend grants to the private schools. 2. Peru is nowJ spending approximately four percent of its Gross National Product (GNP) on education as against 1.66 percent in 1950. Education is the sector wThich, at the present time, accounts for the largest proportion of the central budget. The education budget has risen from 12.66 percent of the central budget in 1950 to 24.7 percent in 1965, and this rise has been accompanied by impressive increases in student enrollments at all levels of the education system. 3. With responsibility for education so centralized, organization of the Ministry is of great importance. The Minister of Education is appointed by the President for an indefinite term. He presides over the National Council of Education (Consejo Nacional de Educacion), an advisorj body on educational policy issues, which is also appointed by the Presi- dent. The seven members of the Council represent the different levels of the education system. Under the i4inister, a Director-General exercises control over administration of school programs; there are Directors for school construction, supplies, statistics, examination, personnel, educational planning, and Regional Director for eight administrative divisions. Writhin each region there are regional and district super- visors for elementary, secondary, vocational and normal school education. Official programs are prepared in the regional offices, and, when approved by the National Council of Education, are enforced by the Ministry's Department of Inspection, both in the public and private -chools. 4. A present difficulty in this administrative system is that authority is highly centralized at the upper levels of the Ministry. Officials from the Regional Offices have to come to Lima on matters which could very well have been dealt with at the regional level. It would, therefore, seem desirable to reconsider the question of delegating ade- quate powers to the Regional Director. There is also a real shortage of qualified supervisors; consecuently, supervision in practice is mostly limited to inspecting school finances and school construction. There is very little supervision over the teaching and learning function.  PRIMARY EDUCATIOM 5. Primary education in Peru comprises six years, w-hich includes a transition year (clase de transicion) between preschool education and regular elementary education. 6. The five years of regular primary schooling are divided into two grades (grados): a first grade of three years for children 7 - 11 years old and a second grade of two years for children between 11 and 13 years of age. Urban schools have both grades; rural schools are mostly first grade schools, offering the one-year transition class and three years of primary program. Nuclear schools have been established in major Indian communities since 19h6. This system comprises a central school, offering the complete primary sequence and 15 - 20 sectional schools offering the first three years. The Central School, which is the headquarters of the director of the school and its supervisors for health, agriculture and literary, administers, supervises and coordinates all activities of the sectional schools. 7. According to the public law of education, modified in 1963, primary attendance is compulsory for all children between 7 and 16, or alternatively until completion of the sixth year sequence of primary education.. This law is not enforced in actual practice, since a large number of children are gainfully employed and have poor parents who could not support them if they gave up employment to go to school. It is, furthermore, difficult to enforce compulsory education for the non- Spanish speaking children, at the present time, owing to a severe short- age of teachers who speak the non-Spanish languages. Primary education for i'lliterates of ages between 16 and 40 is also compulsory but again is not enforced in practice. But maximum efforts have been made to increase primary enrollments (see Annex C, Table 1). Total enrolLments in primary education are reported to have increased from 1,010,177 to 1,93h4,57 during the period 1950-65, signifying an average yearly in- crease of slightly over six percent. linistry Plans 8. In August 1964, the Ministry of P&ic Education released a plan for educational expansion for 1965-69.- As regards primary educa- tion, the plan visualizes the attainment of universal Drimary education by 1969, the target date adopted by the Santiago de Chile Conference of M1arch 1960. The Plan estimates that universal attendance will mean an enrollment goal of 2,306,000 student places in 1969. However, revised demographic projections, supplied to the mission by the Ministry of Public Education indicate a higher figure of 2,495,000 student places in 1969, as well as another 272,800 places to accommodate the present back- log of those in relevant age groups who have had no schooling. 17 Plan de Desarrollo Educativo, 1965-69.  - 3 - 9. Sound primary ediucation, no doubt, is basic to the economic and social development goals and aspirations of the country. It will serve to integrate the rural masses into the wider national comnplex. It will, furthermore, help the Indian population in the Sierra to better their economic status. And high rural literacy rates provide a necessary basis for ensuring the implementation of the proposed agrarian reforms. However, the feasibility of the program will depend upon a variety of factors such as the internal and external resources likely to be avail- able for this subsector of education, the expected additional teacher supply, plant and materials available, adequate supervision, curriculum development and the holding power (retention rate) of schools. 10. From the purely financial standpoint! assuming that 4.5 percent of the GNP will be spent on education in 1970,_/ it is estimated by Peruvian authorities that implementation of the Government's plans for all sectors of education would result in a net deficit of US $100 million during 1963-70. This def:icit may be even greater if a lower proportion of Gi'JP is alloted for education. 11. Aside from finances, there is the efficiency of the primary system to consider. It is estimated that approximately 50 percent of the existing primary school teachers are not nualified, for instance. The retention rate is low; of 100 children who start school in transition, only 23 finish the full six year sequence. Statistics show that 87 per- cent of the primary school-age children were registered in 1964, but the significance of this figure must be counterbalanced by the high dropout during the school year. 12. Regarding the future supply of teachers, it is noted that sub- stantial increases in the enrollments in the noimal schools have taken place only in 1964 and 1965. Further increases (indicated later) are planned by the Ministry and recommended by the missi on for the period 1966-70, but increased outturns cannot be expected before 1968-74 in view of the length of study in normal schools. 13. For these reasons, deferring the target of establishing 100 percent primary education to 1973 would appear desirable. This would imply the creation of 712,000 additional student places (including 270,000 places for the backlog of illiterate children) as well as the gradual replacement of schools presently in rented buildings by new schools. Of the needed 712,000 places, the private sector might provide perhaps 100,000 places. 14. On the assumption of an extended target date for universal attendance, the mission has worked out, in collaboration with the offi- cials of the Ministry of Public Education, primary school investment 1!/ This is purely an exercise to see what the educational effort to realize the Santiago targets means in financial terms and not that the Government is committed to spending 4.5 percent for education by 1970.  Table 1: GOVER aENT PROPOSED PROGRAM OF CONSTRUCTI)N OF PRIFiARY SCHOOTS (1966-70) Statement (000 soles) Student Year Number of Construction Euiaimnent _ Total Intake Classrooms Central Classrooms Total Capacity 1. 1966 2,940 147,000 4,998 23,520 28,518 175,518 117,000 2. 1967 2,940 147,000 4,998 23,520 28,518 175,518 117,000 3. 1968 2,940 147,000 4,998 23,520 28,518 175,518 117,000 4. 1969 2,940 147,000 4,998 23,520 28,518 1755518 117,000 5. 1970 2,940 147,000 4,998 23,520 28,518 175,518 117)000 6. TOTAL 14,700 735,000 24,990 117,600 142,590 877,590 588,ooo Nlote: This program of investment is based on the assumption that the educational effort proposed for the period 1966-70 should be evenly distribuited, since there is a backlog of children for whom educational facilities are to be provided as soon as possible. Hlowever, a modification of this investment schedule may be necessary, if the overall financial situation so warrants. An alternative program in that event may be as follows: Total Investment in Soles 1966 125,000,000 969 200,000,000 1967 150,000,000 1970 225,000,000 1968 175,000,000 Even if the investment in 1966 is cut down to soles 125 million from soles 175 million, this will not I'd materially affect the proposed expansion in educational facilities since the authorities have always{m the alternative of conducting classes in rented buildings. =_  -5r - needs for 1966-70. This program visualizes the construction of 2,940 classrooms annually, 300 to meet replacement needs and 2,640 for admitting new students. It is designed to provide 525,000 new student places. By 1973, additional classrooms will need to be built (by public as well as private efforts) to meet normal replacement needs and growth in enroll- ment plus provide for the backlog of children who had received no schooling as of 1965. 15. Increased. enrollments will, of course, make it imperative that the quality of primary education in Peru be improved. The Ministry must push forward with its plans for a survey and evaluation of the system, curriculum revision, adequate supervision and development of instructional materials. In this connection, it is noted that, later in this report, the mission recommends the creation of a Postgraduate Pedagogical Institute which is badly needed to prepare adequately trained educational super- visors and administrators. 16. In regard to curriculum revision, the nuclear schools in the rural areas should have priority. The biggest question is to what extent the curriculum should reflect rural disciplines. At present there appears to be a bias in this direction. If increased social mobility is taken as an important objective of these schools, then there is a good argument that the liberal-cultural component of the curriculum should be increased. In any case, it is not desirable to push the expansion of nuclear schools until the problem of curriculum in these schools has been completely resolved. SECOUDARY EDUCATION Programs and Trends in General Secondary Education 17. After completing three years of general secondary education, which is the basic cycle compulsory for all students, the students have to choose between the arts and sciences for the second cycle covering two years (some general subjects are also common to arts and sciences). The student is awarded a certificate after passing an examination conducted by the Ylini3try. This certificate is essential for applying for admis- sion into one of the universities for a graduate study program. According to lawv, education in secondary general schools is free. The Directorate of Secondary Education, in the Mlinistry of Public Education, is responsible for the administration and supervision of all general secondary schools. 18. About a fourth of the students at this level are in private schools. These private schools are controlled by the lMinistry's Division of Private Education, which among other controls stipulates the tuition fees charged students. With a few exceptions, the private schools are renuired to follow the Ministry's teaching programs and their students take the certificate examination given by the Ministry.  19. The expansion of educational facilities at the general second- ary level has been considerable. The enrollments at this level of educa- tion have increased from 63,387 in 1950 to 282,957 in 1965, signifying an increase of close to 350 percent (Table 2 Annex C). Programs and Trends in Vocational Education 20. Following primary schooling, there is a five-year program of vocational education in industrial, agricultural or comnmercial schools. '[he Ministry's Department of Technical Education supervises school programs, curriculum, examinations and general administration matters in this field. Vocational education is, at the present time, in the process of reorganization. A major educational reform was envisaged in 19957. However, this newr program is still experimental; a vast majority of schools still follow the old system. 21. The training arrangements now followed in the majority of vocational schools, according to the old system, are directed purely to the preparation of junior technicians and skilled workers; very :little education is imparted in general subjects. There is a first cycle of two years followed by a second cycle of three years. At the end on the first cycle a certificate is usually given for competency in a particular trade. The second cycle is designed to give more intensive training in a speciality and after successful completion of the program a certificate of technician (tecnico) is given. Completion of the full course qualifies for admission into specialized institution of higher learning. The certificates awarded at the end of the first and second cycles indicate the nature of the old system: Agricultural: 1st cycle: worker in cattle and crop raising 2nd cycle: agricultural technician Industrial for Men: 1st cycle: certificate of competence in general mechanics, blacksmithing, masonry, tailoring, minLig, silverplating, soldering, metal-plating, etc. 2nd cycle: technician in a special field such as shop and auto mechanics, sanitary installations, radio, construction, metallurgy, technical drawing and leather work. Industrial for Women 1st cycle: competence in dressmaking, tailoring, decorative arts, etc. 2nd cycle: the title of technician (tecnica) in the same fields.  -7 Commercial: 1st cycle: certificate of competence as commercial assistant 2nd cycle: diploma as accountant or business secretary. 22. The new system under experimentation visualizes a program divided into two cycles, but with a first cycle covering three years where regular secondary education is given and the second cycle devoted to a speciality such as agriculture and farming (agricultural subjects); carpentry, radio, auto mechanics, sanitary installations, metallurgy, mechanics, electricity, and television (industrial subjects for men); dressmaking, embroidery, knitting, cooking and bakery (industrial sub- jects for women); and bookkeeping, general business and secretarial work (commercial subjects). 23. During the period 1960-62, there was a fourfold increase in the enrollments in secondary vocational schools (Table 3, Annex C). The total enrollment figures given in this Table for 1963-65 are estimates made by the IvIinistry. Ministry's Plans for Secondary Schooling 24. The Plan de Desarrollo Educativo gives enrollment goals, based on the Santiago target, of 40 percent of the youths in the secondary school-going age group. The Plan allots 70 percent of the increase to general secondary and 30 percent for vocational education, implying an increase of 100,000 seats for general secondary education and 76,000 more for vocational education. Proposed Enrollments for 1969 in Secondary Education Compared with Enrollments in 1963 Enrollment Enrollment Type in 1963 for 1969 of (Actual Contained in School Reported) Ministry Plan 1. Academic Schools 204,886 377,000 2. Vocational Schools 50,986 166,000 3. Total: Secondary 255,872 543,000 25. The setting of these targets reflects the importance that is attached to secondary education throughout Latin America. The question that concerns us here is whether the targets are fully realistic and technically consistent within the context of Peru's particular circum- stances. The goal of enrolling 40 percent of the corresponding age group  in 1969, for instance, does not appear to take into account the likely supply of primary school graduates during 1965-69 who would be available to go for secondary education. According to the Ministry's original targets, it would be necessary to provide for about 200,000 more seats for secondary education of both streams, wihereas most recent estimates suggested by the mission seem to indicate that no more than 150,000 primary school graduates would be available to enter the secondary schools. This is a clear case where an adjustment in the targets seem to be called for. There are also considerations of quality that argue against a too rapid expansion at this level. 26. Taking all factors into account, general secondary education would appear to call for a program of improvement and limited expansion rather than large-scale expansion on the scales visualized by the authori- ties, not because education at this level is less important, but because of the overriding need for improving the quality of education and thereby increasing the output of graduates. 27. General secondary education needs revision of curriculum, teaching methods, teacher preparation and in-service training. New programs in survey and evaluation, students guidance and educational supervision have to be developed. The problem of getting qualified teachers for new programs is further compounded by the existing need to reduce the high percentage (70 percent) of the part-time teachers. It would be desirable to introduce a system of selective admission for entry into secondary education, in order to reduce the high rate of student dropouts. Secondary vocational education (particularly the industrial sections) has proved totally inadequate for the purpose for which it was meant, i.e., the preparation of technicians and skilled workers for different sectors of the economy. 28. The authorities are aware that vocational education is the weakest link in the entire educational system. There is no link between the course of training offered and the required educational preparation to take up jobs in industry. It is estimated that more than 60 percent of the teachers are not qualified and lack a proper understanding of the real job requuirements of industry. The availability of equipment and materials is nowhere near the required level. A student is obliged to choose between the academic line or one of the vocational specialities at too early an age to make a realistic choice: a survey made by the Servicio del Enpleo y Recursos Humanos (SERH) has revealed that only eight percent of the secondary vocational graduates were working in positions for which they were trained. In sum, secondary technical education requires considerable revision of course-content and re- structuring. 29. The new system of vocational education presently being tried has the merit that the first three-year cycle of basic vocational educa- tion will have, in great measure, the same academic subjects as in general secondary education. However, this does not enable the student to defer  his decision on a vocational choice until he is 15 or 16 years old, wkeri dispositions toward careers formially begin to show (i.e. completion of the first cycle in secondary education). Consequienitly, we feel that, if the Government is presently committed firmly to a program of two separate streams of academic and vocational education at the secondary level after primary education, it will be desirable to permit interchangeability of disciplines after the first three-year basic cycle in secondary education. In other terms, a student who has completed his basic cycle of vocational education, and who discovers that he has higher aptitudes for the pursuit of academic education, should have the free choice to change over to the academic line in the second cycle. Considering that the first cycle is mainly devoted to general subjects, it should not be difficult to intro- duce such flexibility in the system. While greater flexibility may be a solution in the current phase of transition, it would be more desirable, in the mission's opinion, for all secondary students to have a common academic first cycle. The mission further believes that such a common cycle should be organized as soon as possible. 30). The mission suggests that the Peruvian authorities consider the merits of the following two-cycle system for secondary. education. A first cycle covering three years would be mainly devoted to the study of general subjects, but supplemented with a limited program of technical optional subjects and vocational training - taught for general crientation purposes and not for preparing students for an occupation. After successful com- pletion of this cycle, the student would be advised to choose the academic line (in arts or science) or the vocational line (in one of the industrial, agricultural and commercial specialties), for the second cycle which would cover two years. 31. At the present stage of experimentation with technical education, i-t would not be advantageous to embark on an ambitious program, nor does the need for skilled manpower justify an expansion of secondary technical education on the scale envisaged by the Ministry.l/ The most efficient solution to problems of existing technical schools, if the mis