Education for all: strengthening local teaching capacities

Partnership
Project

Background

Colombia and Uruguay have maintained strong ties through the Uruguayan Agency for International Cooperation (AUCI) and the Presidential Agency for International Cooperation (APC Colombia), consolidating their position as strategic partners in South-South and bilateral cooperation.

The Ministry of Education and Culture of Uruguay (MEC) and the Secretariats of Education of Bogotá and Tunja in Colombia have a long history of exchanges, expressing mutual interest in strengthening their collaboration. In response to Colombia's need for capacity building among its teachers and in the development of inclusive education, progress has been made on a project proposal.

Both countries also recognised the benefit of learning from the European experience, with Italy identified as a potential partner thanks to its extensive experience in the field. Italy and Uruguay also have a history of close collaboration through various forms of joint work.

Entities and roles

Beneficiary entities

Secretaría de Educación del Distrito Capital - Bogotá

Colombia

Secretaría de Educación de Tunja

Colombia

First provider entities

Ministerio de Educación y Cultura

Uruguay

Second provider entities

Centro de Estudios Erickson

Italy

Development challenges

Protecting the right to education for all is a fundamental pillar of a fairer and more inclusive society, so that no one is left behind. In the case of Colombia, one of the goals of the District Development Plan 2020-2024 is to implement a policy of inclusive education, through a differentiated approach for students with special constitutional protection in all of the district's public schools. Because of the social and historical aspects of this multicultural country, it is necessary to work on restoring the fundamental rights of these populations, based on respect for the value of each person as a unique individual.

In recent times, the focus has been on the transformation of educational environments in the sense of greater accessibility. Based on the "social model", inclusive education seeks to reduce barriers to learning and increase student participation by fostering a system that recognises and the diversity of all people and empowers them. This requires building a system capable of attending to the particular characteristics and needs of each student on a continuous learning path, which allows for an assessment of the particular adjustments or support each student requires.

An inclusive education system recognises diversity as a value and represents a path towards a fairer and more equitable society, guaranteeing fundamental rights without exception.

Contribute to the process of a transition towards inclusive quality education at all levels of education, thus enabling the consolidation of a public policy in Colombia and Uruguay.

Triangular approach

The Ministry of Education and Culture will transfer its good practices to the Secretariats of Education of Bogotá and Tunja in Colombia, with the technical support of the Erickson Study Centre in Italy.

The 'Articuladores de Inclusión en Territorio' (Local Inclusion Coordinators) project has become a public policy in Uruguay. It is a proposal for educational innovation that seeks to train, raise awareness, advise and build strategies that focus on diversity, together with schools and their teaching teams, under a human rights-based approach.

The project is of particular interest to the city of Bogotá, which seeks to implement a policy that focuses on students with special constitutional protection. The project promotes capacity building for the educational teams based on a flexible, multi-level, integrated approach that takes into account the high degree of ethnic, cultural, gender and other types of diversity in the educational institutions.

As for Tunja, the project is aligned with the city's strategic goals, in which inclusive education is a fundamental component for the city's urban development. Its strategy is aimed at managers, teachers, families and students with disabilities; providing training, support and technical assistance to educational institutions.

Finally, the direct transfer of the knowledge gained from the Italian experience, in which more than 99% of its student body receives formal education, was considered a substantial contribution to enable many students in Colombia and Uruguay to attain real quality education.

Sectoral approach - Contribution to the 2030 Agenda

Primary SDG

Goal 4.5 By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations

Goal 4.A Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, nonviolent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all

Secondary SDG

Goal 1.5 By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters

ADELANTE SDG

Goal 10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status

Goal 10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard

Goal 17.3 Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources

Goal 17.9 Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the sustainable development goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation

Goal 17.16 Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries

Territorial approach

Intervention methodology

Specific objectives:

O1. To highlight the issue of diversity based on the social model, and in terms of inclusive education and educational justice.
O2. Strengthen and train educational teams under a diversity and human rights-based approach in order to incorporate the paradigm of inclusive education.
O3. Create accessible and inclusive educational environments.
O4. Improve education system strategies to move towards inclusive education.

Results:

R.1. The importance of incorporating the perspective of inclusive education under the social model paradigm is understood.
R.2. Capacity building is achieved among the education teams.
R.3. The educational proposal and centre have been strengthened.
R.4. The Inclusive Education Plan has been developed.

Cooperación Triangular

Download the "Good Practice Guide on Inclusive Education" (Spanish)

Direct beneficiaries (individuals)

All persons participating in the activities of the project.

The project activities will involve 160 direct beneficiaries, the vast majority of whom belong to the Partnership member entities at both the managerial and technical levels.

Budget

EU contribution: 98,621.00 €

Co-financing - Triangular Cooperation Partnership: 45,550.00 €

Total budget: 144,171.00 €

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