Bringing more equity in education, information, and gender balance
The emphasis on the proposal of the social sciences and human development group is on equity from education and science.
Columbia outstands in Latin America because the degree of social inequality is the highest. The pandemic has contributed to increase this inequality in all social aspects; the working group has focused on reflecting on actions to fight against the deepening of gaps in education, digital tools and gender issues.
Investment in teachers training
Within the Mission proposal, of recovery of the institutes, to innovate as a strategy of guarantee of integral quality in education, it is important to consider the obligatory artistic training throughout the process of formation and the qualification for the exercise of the citizenship, with sense of cooperativeness and solidarity.
Investment in teachers training is very important, with the aim of overcoming the traditional low profile of teacher training careers regarding “hard” careers. The creation of the “Instituto Superior de Investigación en Educación y Alta Formación” (ISIE) is proposed, which in a simpler way should be called “Instituto Superior para la formación de maestros” (ISFM), with four or five regional headquarters, and a main office in a city other than the Capital District.
In order to consolidate the conceptual, technical and economic proposal of the ISIE, a work team should be formed among high quality universities, incorporating the experience of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia with the Federici I and II groups and involving the group of pedagogical inquiries of the teachers’ guild (Fecode).
Strengthen research in social sciences
In the new scenario that implies the pandemic, it is important to strengthen the strategies of research in social sciences, promoting the inclusion of the “pandemic” factor as a variable of interest for the explanation of social phenomena. Likewise, it is necessary to invest in competitiveness to achieve human development goals; this must be present at the different educational levels and also in labor contexts, guaranteeing equity in access to such training spaces.
In response to educational gaps and the horizontalization of knowledge, we propose to create remote training strategies for students, parents and teachers.
Accessible communication tools
The transition to the knowledge society must articulate digital scenarios for both, the dissemination and creation of new knowledge. It is necessary to innovate in communication strategies that are easily accessible (for example, radio), without neglecting the need for digital and general technological development.
Regarding regional research and innovation centers, the pandemic made clear the need to have scientific reference centers to advice on decision-making in regions. It is important that these centers are developed with a translational vision of knowledge.
Equity and gender
To achieve the inclusion of women in the social and scientific fields, it is important to close gaps.
With respect to the Mission’s proposal on the “promotion of social-emotional skills, citizenship competencies and historical memory work”, in the implementation of these programs, the development of skills such as empathy, acceptance of differences and perspective from different angles should be prioritized. Such elements must be treated from a gender perspective, understanding gender not simply as sex but as a social construction, given the multiple challenges Colombia faces in achieving an egalitarian society.
From the point of view of science, it should be understood as a human right, defined in the universal declaration of human rights; for this reason, it is fundamental to develop scientific thinking capacities in the entire population, showing at all levels of education: infant, primary, secondary, and university the role that both men and women have played in the historical development of science. The group notes that in the sections referring to the Objectives of Sustainable Development of the Mission, no reference is made to the most basic of these, gender equality.
Proposal
Creation from the Academy of a series of radio and/or television programs with scientific content on social and gender issues led by the Social Sciences, Human Development and Equity Group.
This series of posts is about the “Mission of wise men and women” follow up that has been made by working groups convened by the Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences. More information can be found (in Spanish) on the Academy website.
