School teachers in Bolivia (combined).pdf

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extracted text: School Teachers in Bolivia By Benedicto Duran Ortiz Dear Colleague, In your letter of 8 February you asked me to sup ply you with information about the training given to school teachers in Bolivia, their standard of living as compared with other members of the community and their activities inside and outside the school. I sh^J meet your request with pleasure, although I doubt whether it will be possible for me to keep strictly to the points covered by your question. I^OR the eighty-four years that followed the founx dation,of Bolivia in 1825. the technical and ad ministrative organization of its schools constituted a problem its founders and their followers were prac tically unable to solve. Education statutes, acts, reg ulations and projects for the creation of various dif ferent kinds of educational establishments had re sulted in failure after failure until the foundation,"in 1909, in the city of Sucre, on the occasion of the Chuquisaca centennrv celebrations, of the NATIONAL PROFESSORS AND TEACHERS TRAINING SCHOOL OF THE REPUBLIC, known today as the NATIONAL TEACHERS’ TRAINING SCHOOL. From 1838 to 1909 the various attempts to establish a teachers’ training school had failed due to the lack of a technically qualified and professionally reliable staff. In 1909 the Belgian pedagogic mission, pre sided over by Mr. Georges Rouma, established the Bolivian Teachers’ Training School on a firm and last ing basis. To this institution are due many radical reforms in education, as well as the very structure of the present system, which covers pre-school (kin dergarten), primary, secondary and professional train ing. 2500 school teachers trained in this school be tween June 1909 and October 1955 are now engaged in teaching in those different fields which over forty seven years makes an average output of 53 school teachers per year. The Teachers’ Training School is at present di vided into the following sections: EDUCATION FOR HOME LIFE, a section for the technical train ing of school mistresses in the sciences and arts of the home; MUSICAL EDUCATION for pre-school mistresses; PRIMARY EDUCATION for primary school teachers, and SECONDARY EDUCATION for teachers in the secondary and professional schools, the latter being composed of 4-sub-sections. (Biolo gy and Chemistry; Mathematics and Physics; Philo sophy-Grammar and Literature-Grammar, History and Geography). Each section has its own staff under the direction of a head of section, while professors of general subjects or educational sciences, who work in all the sections, have the role of coordinators. The direc tor, aided by the heads of sections, and in exceptional cases by the Board of Professors, has sole responsibilitv for running the school. As you may see, the five sections make up in practice five different training schools. This system provides’ a unified teaching staff, with resulting unity of action. The following conditions must be fulfilled by a candidate to the National Teachers’ Training School: a) Education for Home Life Section: a candidate must have passed her fourth year at a secondary school or concluded her studies at a professional school for girls. b) Kindergarten and Music Sections: Owing to the urgent need throughout the country for Kinder garten mistresses, entrance will be granted for one more year to pupils who have passed their third year at a secondary school, provided they have an ele mentary knowledge of the piano or show some apti tude for music. c) Primary Section: candidates must have passed their fourth year at a secondary school or have taken their baccalaureate. Those who have passed the lat ter are admitted into the third year course, provided they have also passed the entrance examination held by the Institute of Pedagogic Investigation. If in this examination their making falls below a certain standard, they begin in the first or second year course. d) Secondary Section: candidates must have passed the baccalaureate and corresponding entrance examination. Apart from the above conditions, each candidate must present the following documents: birth certi ficate, good health certificate, certificate of studies and good behaviour, certificate of good conduct (vita et moribus), vaccination certificate, and in the case of a scholarship, certificate of insufficient means. PuFEBRUARY, 1958 PAGE 53 pils join the school from all parts of the Republic, and form lasting bonds of friendship and solidarity while attending it. The School has always been run on co-educational lines, a regime now gradually be ing extended to other education establishments throughout the country. The preliminary selection and distribution into the different sections carried out by the Institute of Ped agogic Investigations is revised and adjusted year ly, to meet the actual requirements of pupils in each section, as they become apparent during the first year of study. These flexible arrangements, although resorted to only sparingly during the first few months, make it possible in due course to proceed to a final redistribution. Pupils who have chosen a particular section, are thus given time to form a truer estimate of their special aptitudes and capacity. After a lit tle enlightening persona] experience, the zeal and op timism of the early stages fall into proper perspec tive, and under the guidance of the Director and professors, many of the pupils manage to plan their future programs in a permanent and balanced way. The period of study in all sections is divided into two clearly distinct stages of training: I. GENERAL CULTURE, of a greater or lesser duration and thoroughness according to the require ments and nature of each section, devoted to syste matic revision and to completing and broadening the future school teachers’ knowledge, so that he can ac quire a sound, integrated, and practical culture. This stage is specially stressed in the Home Life Educa tion, Music, Kindergarten and Primary Sections, al though in the second year some of the specialize^ edu cational subjects are already introduced into the curriculum. II. THE PROFESSIONAL STAGE, which is pre dominant both as to theory and practice in the last two years and particularly in the fourth year. Prac tical training is introduced by graduated stages. In the second year pupils begin to study the simpler aspects of administration, and to gain experience in looking after children, watching over them at play or at work and acting as prefects. In the third year they attend model classes given by their own teachers, by school-teachers from outside or by their compan ions. After each Jesson they draft a report which is submitted, first to the teacher which class they at tended, and then to their teacher of pedagogy. At this stage pre-teaching practical work begins. Thirdyear pupils must submit 12 valid periods of practical work before taking the general exams. Fourth year pupils spend one day a week of their lesson time at a primary, secondary or professional school, and two months before the end of their studies, they carry out a ‘‘professional initiation”. For a week the can didate takes full charge of a class or one of the sub jects of the class, sets objective tests, qualifies his pupils and then presents himself for a final and very exacting practical examination. Failure to pass this examination entails the loss of one year of studies. In the secondary section, specialized teaching and professional training are undertaken together, al though in the third and fourth years particular im portance is attached to pre-professional and profes sional initiation practice, which is continued in the two first years of actual teaching. At the end of the fourth year of study, after passing the yearly and the final examinations, pupils receive a final certificate and may apply to the na tional authorities for the corresponding diploma, as soon as they have fulfilled the following requirements: 1. Primary, Kindergarten and education for home life teachers, after two years’ exercise of their pro fession, must submit a certificate of efficiency en dorsed by the Director of the school they have taught in. Teachers of education for home life are free to work in any type of school, but they usually start with primary teaching. 2. Music teachers must submit a thesis based on the practical work carried out at a primary school over two years. Although also authorized to work in any type of school, they too prefer to start with kindergarten or primary school work. 3. Secondary school teachers, after two years’ teaching, must submit a thesis on subjects or prob lems connected with secondary education. This the sis is discussed, approved and qualified in accordance with provisions laid down on the subject. On leaving the National Teachers’ Training School or any other teachers’ training school, such as the Rural Training Schools, all qualified pupils are enti tled to the same basic salary as that paid to teachers who have already obtained their diploma. For the purposes of percentage increment (explained below) they are placed in the fourth category. School teachers are appointed by the General Di rector of Education, subject to the appropriate minis terial approval. The teacher takes up residence in the place to which he has been appointed and at his own cost. However, the Education Code, promulgated on 20 June 1955, lays down that the State shall pay for his travel and that of his family. Until very recently the standard of living of Boli vian school teachers was anything but high. In fact, during the past year and the beginning of this one, it fell to an alarmingly low level, and was considerably below that of even the more modest manual workers. Under conditions so disfavorable to their individual and collective interest, Bolivian school teachers, slow ly but surely set to work to strengthen their position and in the last few days they have obtained further victories. The following rights have been revindicated by them to date: PAGE 54 THE PHILIPPINE EDUCATOR a) Readjustment of basic salary to 290% of the amount previously received, by an agreement reached between Government representatives and those of the teachers’ unions; b) Family allowances; allowances for each child, according to a special scale; c) Housing allowances, a fixed sum paid to all school teachers whether married or single; d) Nursing bonus: received throughout the period of nursing in accordance with the provisions of or social welfare laws in force; e) Rent allowance, as established by social wel fare law; f) Additional percentage increments paid to all school-teachers, according to a scale based on length of service as follows: 30% to those in the fourth category, 40to those in the third category, 50% to those in the second category and 60% to those in the first category. gf Books allowance: a monthly sum allocated for the purchase of books; h) Zone and frontier rights: the former consist ing of a fixed monthly sum and the latter of an al lowance of 20 %> of the basic salary, as compensation for residence and travel cost, exceptionally high in cer tain frontier areas. Before the present agreements, the frontier rights were 30%, paid in sterling or in US Dollars. As I mentioned earlier the standard of living of school teachers in Bolivia was until very recently in ferior to that of the humblest manual workers, but, due to the above mentioned readjustments and recog nition of the school teachers’ right to social welfare benefits, it is now definitely higher. The teaching pro fession is looked on in Bolivia as a moral and material force worthy of respect and able to make itself heard by reasonable means, compatible with due respect for law and order. Its sense of unity and awareness of its own strength is growing with the growing numbers of young people entering its routes from the institu tion I always refer to as the Bolivian “Normal” (Teachers’ Training School). A highly original indeed a unique school in its way, which in forty-seven years of high purposed and intense work has succeeded in considerably raising the cultural strength of meh and women of our nation, set in the very heart of South America. ------o-----A great deal of the kinder and primary school teachers’ time is taken up in carrying out his school tasks and responsibilities. On leaving training school, a teacher is required to serve his first two years in a primary or secondary school in the provinces. (In some Bolivian provinces there are mixed secondary schools, complete or incom plete). At the end of his time, he may apply to be transferred to a town. I will now describe the activities, inside or outside the school, of the Bolivian school teacher, known in my country as "maestro normal" or "Preceptor aormalista>”. The Bolivian school teacher is responsible for or ganizing all the technical and administrative details connected with the course he is in charge’ of. On appointment he takes down personal data about his pupils, gets in touch with their parents, plans their hours of work in accordance with the appropriate program of studies, finds out the level of advancement of his pupils, studies the official program, etc. After a week of careful preparations, he sets about adapt ing the program to local conditions, making out a time-table duly planned in accordance with customary period or the instructions of his Director. Once work has begun he will spend the next 180 to 200 days be tween school and home at his work table or enjoying a few moments rest. He prepares his lessons, noting them in a special book which is checked by the Director once a day or once a week, according to the practice of different establishments. At the end of June and the beginning of July there is a small winter holiday of 15 to 20 days. Some teachers take advantage of it to pay a brief visit to their homes. Most of them remain on the spot and spend their time resting or looking after their private affairs. Hard work is done from January to June by both teacher and pupils, and this winter holiday is appreciated by all. The primary school-teacher has little time for an active social life. If he leads one, it is completely subordinate to school interests and affairs. Recently more interest has been shown in parents and in the organization of special parents associations. Many schools throughout the country today are developing and progressing under the influence of such associa tions, through which parents show a very active inter est in the material and moral welfare of the school their children attend. The school teacher today does all he can to encourage parents to share the duties, cares and responsibilities of educating their children. Thus the school and all its problems are projected into the home. The school teacher’s initiatives and per severance in overcoming all kinds of difficulties is gradually breaking down family indifference. Every year towards the middle of October, the 180 to 200 days required by the law are concluded with the promotion examinations. The school year is at an end and school teachers are free for about two months. These long vacations may be used in two apparently contradictory ways. School-teachers work ing in the provinces prefer to spend them in town, and those who work in the towns generally chose the provinces or “the country” — preferably the banks of FEBRUARY, 1958 PAGE 55 rivers, the hills or the valley. Both sectors of the teaching profession thus find rest from their toil and the satisfaction of their desires through this interest ing and quite natural exchange. One of the principal aspirations of the Bolivian school teacher is to achieve mastery in the true skill of teaching, to “practice intuition” as the expression goes. He will wear himself out in the attempt and stop at no economic sacrifice to obtain the necessary books and materials. While fully appreciative of any balanced theoretical doctrine, he remains eminently practical. He is not fond of theorizing, pedagogic chatterors and is more interested in seeing and learn ing “how it’s done” than in hearing merely “what ought to be done”. He tends to be skeptical the kind of pedagogic literature in which teaching is made to appear as one uninterrupted succession of achieve ments, successes and triumphs, and sometimes won ders whether the school-teachers, children ànd young people overseas are not as human as those of his own country. He is no longer much impressed by the well meaning theories of missions or by any verbal form of cooperations. For forty-seven years he has seen and is still seeing the development of a technical work that speaks for itself, that is its own practical proof. The work of the National Teachers’ Training School as it is known today, and of the other teaching centers of the country. Primary and secondary teachers have made con siderable contribution to the cultural development of the country by publishing books for th« use of teach ers. Today the fervent wish of a Bolivian school teacher is to obtain practical aid in the attempt to revise and improve his techniques, and to broaden his essentially balanced and pragmatic culture. _ The teaching profession in Bolivia is grouped into two large unions: the Syndicate of Fundamental Ed ucation Teachers and the Syndicate of Urban Teach ers. Each has a central committee presided over by a government official, and both together form part of the National Confederation of School teachers, with the leadership of the Central Executive Committee which sits at the headquarters of each in turn. If the latter Committee fails to serve the interest and wish es of the profession adequately, it may be deprived of its authority. The district unions agree tp pass a vote of censure, and control of the Unions is taken over by a Provisional Committee. Every two years a School Teachers’ Congress dis-' cusses all Union matters concerning the profession as well as those connected with the organization of the schools and the economic structure of education. These Congresses have been highly influential in building up a unified teaching staff. They have eliminate all barriers between the different types of education, and have even done away with political differences. I hope this modest effort will go someway towards providing you with the information you wanted about the education system and activities of school teachers in my country. Three B’s of Assamese Culture By Naranjan Singh Uppal 'T'HREE “B” ’s dominate the cultural life of the peo ple of Assam, an Indian state sandwiched be tween East Pakistan and Burma. They are Bhaona (drama), Bhaoria (the lyrical poet) and Bahua (the jester). Bhaona may not come within the full definition of drama as it is understood in the West, but it con veys events and characters with great dramatic ef fect, and uses dance and music in the presentation. The Bhaoria is a lyrical poet who composes verses extempore. These verses are sung, mostly on relig ious and social occasions, either solo or in chorus with others. After a day’s hard work, the Assamese en joy an evening’s rollicking and dancing to the Bhaoria songs and, for a moment, they forget all the worries of life. The Bahua, in his jester’s garb, regales the audi ence with his pokes and comic acting his “turn” is generally interspaced between acrobatic feats by other performers. Early dramatic expression in Assamese took the form of naratives accompanied by singing and danc ing. Tales from the Puranas, the Hindu sacred book, were presented occasionally with the help of “mudres” or gestures. Later, the Ankiya-Natas,’one-act plays, came into being. The oldest form of Assamese drama is called Ojapali. It is performed in the open space with the peo ple forming a ring. The principal actor narrates mythological stories in verse. Occasionally he dances and holds dialogues in prose with another actor, and the whole company joins in singing and dancing. Once or twice during the play, a muste female char acter called Deodhani dances to please the Goddess Manasa. PAGE 56 THE PHILIPPINE EDUCATOR
Date: 1958
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