Ecuador's Education Politics

This week, Ecuador’s Minister of Higher Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, René Ramírez, introduced a national scholarship program emphasizing the newfound goal of the Department of Education: politicization. Through this program, the government hopes to incite a level of political participation that can spur social and economic growth. According to El Universo, Ramírez urged the students to look beyond rote memorization to actively “promote a national consciousness” aimed at serving the majority. In his speech, Ramírez begged students—“the great historical actors”—to bring prosperity to the country.

Although many praise the initiative, the program’s feasibility is still questionable. Even more concerning are questions of the program’s political motivations. Frequently seen as a means of strengthening party support in light of 2017’s elections, skeptics have viewed the program as a means of indoctrination and political proselytism.

Moreover, the basis by which the scholarships are distributed has raised questions due to  qualification requirements. These include grade specifications as well as minimum scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Critics have questioned how meritorious such requirements can possibly be when the scholarship goals are so political in nature.

Despite these criticisms, many laud the goals of President Rafael Correa. According to Correa, higher education is a vital component in the development of Ecuador’s future. Internationally, this educational aim values studies abroad, particularly within the United States. Thus, by investing in higher education, the Ecuadorian government and society can reap the benefits upon these students’ completed studies.