XIII. Education Program

After Haiti, Guatemala is the country in Latin America with the highest index of illiteracy. Education is the basis for viability of human growth and the liberation from all forms of oppression. A people is not able to expand or develop if its members are illiterate. Consequently, they continue to be dependents that are subdued, used, and alienated. It also follows they are left behind in all scientific and technological advances.

The communities require an educational model that expands critical and analytical thought, in which the children, youth and adults are actors in the process of their education and not simply the receptors or objects of someone else's educational agenda.

1. General Objective

Contribute to the education of men and women in the rural communities in order to eradicate illiteracy and the lack of education in other levels, which are causes of poverty, social exclusion, and to give strength and support to the process of development.

2. Specific Objectives

• Coordinate with the CONALFA (National Committee on Literacy, a government organization) program, for literacy and obtaining the respective certificates and diplomas.
• Train with integrated focus the teachers and facilitators, to offer a realistic education, contextualized to the students, which will develop positive, critical and analytical thinking for the better growth.

3. Goals

• Annually coordinate with CONALFA to benefit 25 communities impacted by the present plan, with 75 educational centers, distributed in the following manner:
  
  - Twenty-five literacy centers that benefit 375 illiterate men and women.
  
  In five years, this will benefit 1,875 men and women.
  
  - Twenty-five first-stage post-literacy centers: equal to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd elementary grades. This will benefit 375 men and women.
  
  In five years, this will benefit 1,875 men and women.
  
  - 25 Second stage Post-Literacy centers: equal to the 4th, 5th, and 6th elementary grades, benefiting 375 men and women who will obtain their elementary school certificate and diploma.
  
  In five years, this will teach 1,875 men and women, that obtain their first level.
  
  
• Training of 75 teachers and facilitators, in methods and techniques to teach adults. Besides, we will train them in subjects of Socio-politics, economics and biblical theology so they will have the knowledge for an integrated education and not just mechanically transmit the thoughts of others.
• Conduct seminars, forums, workshops about problems, necessities and educational observations. Discuss and make contributions or proposals for the educational reform and intercultural ideas that are suggested in the Agreement of Peace, and in 2001, begin to discuss these with the government through the Ministry of Education.
• Encourage financial resources to implement a plan of two model schools: one in Chuisajcaba and one in Sohomnip, in which the teachers will be trained and foster a quality education, and at the same time to implement training plans in Organic Agriculture and Environmental Studies for the male children and natural medicine along with preventive medicine for the girls. Also training in these schools in the area of moral and biblical theological ideals.
• Promote study scholarships for the better students who have obtained their Primary Level so they can continue their basic and professional level studies. We would give priority to the girls and young women.

4. Budget