Ministry of Education Nicaragua - Nicaragua Education

EDUCATION IN NICARAGUA

BwBÌs Impact

Building with Books helps to improve the educational situation in Nicaragua by working with local communities to build new primary schools. We build these structures in some of the poorest communities, where educational opportunities are sorely lacking because schoolhouses are either too small, not sturdy enough to house the villages' student populations, overcrowded, too remote or non-existent. Our methodology is designed to empower communities to build their own schoolhouse through the hard work of sweat equity.

BwBÌs proven construction methodology, refined over more than a decade of grass-roots work, is effective because it promotes self-reliance, a necessary ingredient for sustainable development. Keys to BwBÌs success include careful site selection, experienced staff, and village involvement throughout the construction process. BwB methodology requires the local community to contribute land, local building materials and volunteer, unskilled labor; BwB provides construction materials, skilled labor and help with project management. In 2004, residents in local villages contributed more than 55,000 volunteer workdays to build their BwB schools.

Since BwB provides the infrastructure for a new school but does not intercede in the schooling, it is important that a healthy relationship of cooperation exist between BwB and the Ministry of Education (MoE). Prior to selecting a community, BwB meets with local MoE representatives to seek their support and to identify needy communities in BwBÌs impact area. Subsequent meetings secure the commitment of the MoE to adequately staffing the school with teachers and providing benches and school materials. The MoE often follows up during the course of the project, offering further assistance when possible in such areas as material transport.

Recent History

When the Sandinistas came to power in 1979, the Nicaraguan education system was one of the worst in Central America. The new government doubled spending on education and began to turn around the faltering system. The illiteracy rate fell from 50 to 23 percent of the total population and college enrollment increased from 11,142 to 38,570 in 1985 alone. Despite all the efforts of the Sandinista government, education began to decline in the early 1990s, and the economic crisis that evolved from the Contra war worsened the situation. Even today, the educational system is struggling and the illiteracy rate continues to increase; today it is approximately 36%. (www.buildingwithbooks.org/tfk/t9/profile.shtml)

Primary Education

Access to early childhood development interventions is limited. An estimated 79 per cent of primary-school-age children are enrolled, with no gender difference. The quality and relevance of education are significant problems. It takes an average of 10.3 years to complete the mandatory six years of schooling, and only 29 percent of children complete primary schooling. Poverty affects school participation, with many families unable to afford the direct or hidden costs. Poverty also results in child labor, which affects more than 167,000 children and adolescents. (www.unicef.org/infobycountry/nicaragua.html)

Detailed Review of Education System

Pre-higher education:

Duration of compulsory education:

Age of entry: 6

Age of exit: 12

Structure of school system:

Primary

Type of school providing this education: Primary School

Length of program in years: 6

Age level from: 6 to: 12

Certificate/diploma awarded: Diploma de Educaci€n Primaria

Basic Secondary

Type of school providing this education: Educaci€n media, Ciclo B?sico

Length of program in years: 3

Age level from: 12 to: 15

Certificate/diploma awarded: Diploma de Curso B?sico

Diversified Secondary

Type of school providing this education: Educaci€n media, Ciclo Diversificado

Length of program in years: 2

Age level from: 15 to: 17

Certificate/diploma awarded: Bachillerato en Humanidades or Ciencias

Technical Secondary

Type of school providing this education: Technical Secondary School

Length of program in years: 3

Age level from: 15 to: 18

Certificate/diploma awarded: Tecnico Medio

School education:

Primary education lasts for six years divided into two cycles: basic and second cycle. It is compulsory and free. Secondary education lasts for five years, divided into three years of ciclo b?sico and two years of ciclo diversificado. It leads to the Bachillerato in Humanities or Science, which is one of the prerequisites for access to higher education. In technical secondary education students are awarded the title of T»cnico medio after three years of ciclo diversificado.

Higher education:

Higher education is provided by universities, centros t»cnicos superiores (polytechnical and technological institutions) and centros de investigaci€n y de capacitaci€n (research centres). There are both state universities and private universities. The Consejo Nacional de Universidades (CNU) is responsible for all higher education planning. The Asociaci€n Nicaraguense de Instituciones de Educaci€n Superior studies academic and administrative problems of higher education with a view to its integrated planning within the framework of the system of education; recognizes studies; and encourages the exchange of information between member institutions.

Main laws/decrees governing higher education:

Decree: Ley no. 89 de AutonomÃa de las Instituciones de la Educaci€n Superior Year: 1990

Concerns: Higher education institutions

Academic year:

Classes from: Mar to: Dec

Languages of instruction: Spanish

Teacher education:

Training of pre-primary and primary/basic school teachers

A five-year secondary level course on completion of primary education consisting of three years' general education followed by two years' specialization leads to the Diploma de Maestro de Educaci€n Primaria. It takes place in Escuelas Normales.

Training of secondary school teachers

Secondary school teachers are awarded the TÃtulo de Profesor de Educaci€n Media together with the Licenciatura after four years' study at the Universidad Nacional Aut€noma de Nicaragua. Admission is based on the Bachillerato or the Diploma de Maestro de Educaci€n Primaria.

Administration & co-ordination:

Responsible authorities:

Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (Ministerio de Educaci€n, Cultura y Deportes)

Head: Silvio de Franco Montalv?n, Minister

Administrative officer: Carlos Schiebel Sevilla, Secretary-General

International relations: Karla Arg?ello, Officer

Apartado postal 108
Complejo Civico, Modulo J
Managua
Nicaragua

Tel: +505(2) 651-451

Fax: +505(2) 651-595

EMail: info@mecd.gob.ni

WWW: http://www.mecd.gob.ni

(Source: http://www.unesco.org/iau/cd-data/ni.rtf)

Rev. 10.04