UNESCO Encourages Turning Teachers into Leaders to Transform Education in Latin American

The Dominican Republic is hoping to transform the quality of education by turning school directors and teachers into leaders, through a project developed by the Regional Educational Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Alfredo Rojas

Alfredo Rojas, program director of the Regional Bureau which has its headquarters in Chile, came to the DR to introduce the distance learning project called “Latin American School Leadership
Network.” He explained that the program’s low cost will allow poor countries to develop and generate important changes in their educational systems.     

Mr. Rojas offered details about the project at the inauguration of the IV Edition of the Virtual Educa Caribe Summit which took place on Wednesday March 4 in the auditorium of the Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE). The theme of
the summit is: “Free Technology Platforms and E-Learning: Possibilities, Limitations and Risks.” Lessons learned in the Leadership Network of the OREALC/UNESCO.

Ligia Amada Melo

Ligia Amada Melo, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology (SEESCYT), introduced Rojas at the inaugural event.

The education and technology forum is taking place on Thursday and Friday (March 5-6) in the Pedro Mir Library of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) and includes the
participation of representatives from the public and private sector and NGOs from Latin America.

The Latin American School Leadership Network, which began in 2007, is supported by Google platforms to develop distance learning courses with the objective of turning school principals and teachers into school and community leaders with the vision of making the radical transformations necessary and required by the educational system
 
The
project grew out of a common reality: Despite the vast amounts of money Latin American countries have invested in educational reforms, education in our countries continues to be poor quality and riddled with social and economic inequalities. Reforms are not apparent in the schools and classrooms. They never make it past the announcement and good intentions stage. In daily life, traditionalism persists and educational activities for children and young people in the 21st century are exactly
as they were in the 19th century. 

Teachers Transformed into Leaders
The program, which began in classrooms ten years ago, is based on the belief that teachers as leaders capable of generating a change of vision, confidence and a spirit of success among the population, can institute educational reforms capable of changing the direction of society.

“Leaders have the capacity to transform the
mood of the people, to elevate them from pessimism, frustration and resignation despite the difficulties and to help them become proactive people,” explained Rojas.

Courses are offered to groups of five teachers, as experience shows that people learn better and quicker when wo