Panama spends a great deal of its budget on health and education, but unfortunately it does not pay off. This was made acutely aware by a recent study by UNESCO. Panama ranked 8th out of 11 countries evaluated. Who is to blame? Certainly it is the qualifications of the educators as well as the acceptance of cheating as a way to get ahead in this society. Cuba's ranking at the top may make some point to that communist country as the way to a better future, but I believe it is better to be stupid and free than smart and enslaved!
La EstrallaMost Panamanian students have serious shortcomings in math and Spanish, that's what threw the second Regional Comparative and Explanatory Study of the Quality of Education in Latin America (SERCE) report released yesterday by the Ministry of Education.
The evaluation was organized by UNESCO, was practiced at
the national level to about 13.011 students in third and sixth grade
during 2005 to 2007.
Arturo Rivera, National Director of Educational Evaluation, explained
that the shortcomings are more noticeable in mathematics where only 4%
of students managed to get the maximum points, but another 8.5% did not
reach the minimum required because they generally do not dominate the
geometry and find it difficult to solve math problems with two
variables. In Spanish, the main obstacle is the
understanding of reading, only 6% of students obtained the highest
level of qualification, but 12% did not reach the minimum.
Similarly in science, just get the 0.77, in some countries competed this specialty, but also left Panama favored. Rivera recommended increased experimentation in the classroom.
Panama eleven countries reviewed was the eighth, leaving as one of the worst.
Cuba won the first place, followed by Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, El Salvador and Peru. Only three countries scored below such as Panama, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Dominican Republic.
There are good schools
. El Colegio Brader (particular) and Nicanor Villalaz school located in Los Santos were among the schools that got results. . His students took higher scores than the averages for Latin America.. The assessment also includes the views of teachers teaching which calls for greater support.
Lucy Molinar, Education
Minister said the results do not surprise anyone, since it is well
known, but they are an opportunity to identify areas that need
reinforcement.
Some plans included is incorporated
into the bid book to those texts used in schools whose performance in
the test was satisfactory.
In addition teachers will strengthen in the areas of Spanish, mathematics and science through summer courses.
Rivera added that the study found that teachers who
use the dictionary every day in classes that their students have
achieved high returns and this feature is achieved within the Republic.
In addition it was determined that teachers require to memorize
definitions math, "math is practice not theory," Rivera countered.Another important variant is that there must be a school climate conducive to the normal development of learning.
"I'm so sad," said Aixa Rodriguez, president of the parents, who ask what can we do?
Rodriguez hopes that teachers be trained so that raising the quality of education.
He added that some teachers were excused because students did not know the system, that argument was not accepted as valid.
