The intermediation of dialogue in the education sector is happening, now that the Government seeks to carry out the reforms with which it intends to strengthen the Colombian educational system.
Although these are two projects, the first has a margin of statutory law to establish education as a fundamental right and was already approved in the second debate of the House of Representatives; The other has raised alerts in higher education, since the reform to Law 30 of 1992 would affect private universities. It is worth noting that the latter has not started a debate.
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In conversation with different actors in the sector, concern is fueled, since until now it is not possible to quantify the real impacts of the project, taking into account that the Ministry has indicated that it is not a reform to the law 30but a new legislature will be made for higher education.
In accordance with Óscar Domínguez, executive director of the Colombian Association of Universities (Ascun)the current law 30 does need an adjustment in articles 86 and 87, in order for it to overcome the structural underfunding in higher education in the public sector.
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“Also, this general law must indicate mechanisms through which the provision of the service by the Private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)through student loans that allow young people to access higher education,” he stated.
Likewise, the director of Ascun reflected that in general figures, Of the $55 billion that the Government dedicates to education in Colombia by 2024, about $5.5 billion goes to higher education.
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However, of that amount, approximately $4.5 billion goes to the public system and around $1 billion goes to “different support programs for students, including Icetex credits”, he clarified.
According to Domínguez, currently there is a broad strengthening in the official system with free public educationwith the construction of new headquarters, improvement of infrastructure in public HEIs and maintenance of educational credit commitments through the Icetex.
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“What this is generating is a transition of students from private HEIs to public HEIs and therefore a decrease in students in private HEIs with a weakening of these,” he said.
Another point of concern lies in the opening of 500,000 new places that the Government proposed in the National Development Plan (PND).
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Based on what was said by the director of Ascun, this program has been developed for three academic semesters of the current Government, solely through public offering with programs such as free higher education and with a projection of increase, thanks to the creation of new public HEIs in the territory.
“Understanding that Colombia has close to 50% of its students in private non-profit institutions, the Government has not provided extensions to their coverage for these in particular. The conditions have been maintained through the Icetex credit so that students can access educational services”, indicated Domínguez.
Regarding financing, although the Government has not allocated coverage expansions, private HEIs join the voice of warning, since the quality of education would be directly affected.
From the different points that the reform calls for, for the rector of the College of Higher Studies of Administration (Cesa), Emilia Restrepoconsider that it is essential to guarantee a financing scheme for education and that this type of projects “be an instrument that strengthens us all”.
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According to Restrepo, “The proposals must lead to a collaboration scheme between public and private education. This is not an issue of competition, it is one of quality and diverting all funding only towards the public is taking away the possibility of students having access to a high quality education.”.
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In addition, The rector insisted that it would be a setback for the country not to have access to financing for private education, since the productive level would also have an impact..
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“Our position is very clear and that is that we consider it to be a mistake and we are open to sitting down to look for forms of mutual collaboration between private and public institutions.”he added.
Besides, Esteban Piedrahita, rector of Icesiexplained to this medium that free education widens the gaps in the quality of education, because “puts social segments with privileged high-level education and cultural capitals in competition with vulnerable groups, with low educational levels, cultural and academic capitals”.
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He also explained that although free treatment can spread and become a universal model, the experience of other countries such as Argentina It has been shown that quality deteriorates because educating large population groups, without entry filters, makes a high-quality process administratively unviable.
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To its turn, José Manuel Restrepo, rector of the EIAclarified that Colombia has had an education system that has evolved, with the mixed system being the one that has contributed to this.
“It is essential to recognize the value of this other unofficial sector. I feel that this recognition has not been made and that to the extent that it is not done, the goals will not be achieved.“said this academic spokesperson.
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It is worth noting that in documents published by the Education Ministry, if the reform to the current transfer scheme to state HEIs came into force this year, The fiscal impact would be in the order of $5.8 billion for the Government period, including indexation.
Likewise, at least 40% would be from these resources, that is, $2.4 billion would be destined to finance the coverage expansion program launched by the Government.
On the other hand, they assure that it is estimated that the reform of the transfer scheme to state HEIs would involve resources of nearly $6.8 billion between 2024 and 2026. And in total the reform, for this scheme alone, would have a fiscal impact of more than $33 billion.
DIANA K. RODRÍGUEZ T.
Portfolio Journalist
