Milei Government Proposes Sweeping Education Reforms in Argentina

Redefining the State's Role in Education

Argentine President Javier Milei's government is promoting a significant reform bill designed to redefine the state's involvement in public education. The proposed legislation seeks to shift authority away from traditional ministries and towards families, emphasizing parental responsibility and private initiative. This initiative is part of a broader 'Reforma Global de la Educación' (Global Education Reform) aimed at restructuring the education system to align with the government's principles.

A central tenet of the reform is the explicit authorization of homeschooling and broader distance learning options, starting from the fourth grade of primary school. Students educated at home or online would still be required to validate their learning through standardized evaluations tied to a minimum curriculum.

Expanding School Choice and Parental Involvement

The proposed bill aims to expand school choice by introducing demand-side funding tools such as vouchers, scholarships, and tax credits. This mechanism would allow public support to follow the student, enabling families to choose educational institutions, whether public or private. The government's rationale is to foster competition among schools, which they believe will improve educational quality.

Furthermore, the reforms seek to grant parents a more active role in school governance, including mechanisms to influence the appointment or removal of principals. Parents would also gain access to the results of collective evaluation methods, such as the Aprender tests, to understand their children's performance and compare it with that of their school relative to the rest of the country.

Curriculum Changes and Evaluation Systems

The reform package includes significant changes to the curriculum and evaluation systems. It proposes the introduction of an integrative exam upon completing secondary school to validate performance levels. Mechanisms for the periodic evaluation and validation of knowledge would be introduced for both students and teachers.

Specific curriculum overhauls announced by the Ministry of Human Capital, led by Sandra Pettovello, through the Secretariat of Education, include:

• Strengthening mathematics teaching, addressing deficiencies highlighted by recent Aprender tests.
• Implementing a national financial literacy program.
• Developing socioemotional skills and promoting school coexistence.
• Launching the Argentine Education Innovation Program with Artificial Intelligence integration.

Higher Education and 'Essential Service' Designation

The reform also addresses higher education, proposing that public universities be authorized to charge fees for non-resident foreign students, while maintaining free education for Argentinian citizens and permanent resident foreigners. Additionally, the bill seeks to declare basic education, from kindergarten to high school, an 'essential service.' This designation would require a minimum level of classes and aims to limit the right to strike for teachers, ensuring operations at no less than 75% capacity.

The government's proposals have been met with resistance from unions, student groups, and education advocates, who express concerns about potential impacts on equality and the public education system's integrative role.