The prize was awarded in the framework of the international seminar "School retention and completion in Latin America" organized by REDUCA in Guatemala, in Sacatepéquez Department.
In the opportunity, Balague said that "Back to School Plan fully represents the provincial educational policy; with a present state that covers the territory with great forcefulness to achieve that all young students can return to school in the best conditions and ensure their learning".
"We believe that this plan allows us to guarantee a fundamental right such as the right to education, which we consider to be the mother of many other rights, because it allows each citizen to build a dignified life, decent work and an individual and collective life project", added the Minister.
In addition, the provincial official said, "This plan also represents the basic pillars of our education policy in the province of Santa Fe: socio-educational inclusion, educational quality and the school as a social institution, as a network that can articulate with other actors in the territory, with the community, with the family, with non-governmental organizations, with local governments so that all of us get involved in the incorporation of children in inclusion and quality of learning", she said.
As regards the distinction received, Balague recalled, "hundreds of projects and programs submitted by the REDUCA 14 member countries, which were evaluated by renowned jurors." “It was very exciting to see how everyone paid attention to this program, the way in which we can scale it and reach most of the children in our province and our country."
In addition, the education portfolio holder emphasized the virtual development with a program so innovative that it works from socio-community projects; the support given to young people and adults who managed to have the opportunity to complete their secondary schooling".
Then, the Minister commented, “The award is a caress to the soul for all those who made a huge effort to carry forward this program for thousands of people to be in the educational system again, to have a project of life".
Finally, Balague vindicated the debate that is carried forward to finish the bill for the construction of a law on education in the province, which will allow including more citizens: "We are developing a law to apply public policies in the medium and long term." We are building a very participative law, which will allow us to reduce the social inequalities that mean a huge issue in Latin America".
"We are convinced that education can contribute to build a fairer society with more solidarity for our children and young people, giving adults a new chance for joining the society," said the official.
BACK TO SCHOOL PLAN
Since 2013, the province has been carrying out the Back to School Plan, an inclusive socio-educational course of action directed to young people and adults who, for many different reasons, have not completed their secondary education.
Back to School Plan looks for and find those students who have dropped out and helps them to return to school and deploys a series of strategies to help them complete the secondary level. This way they can focus on the appropriation and construction of learning that enables new projects of life.
Firstly, interdisciplinary teams of the province, together with the municipalities and communes, visit every student who has not completed secondary school, to devise a strategy that allows them to go back to school.
Meanwhile, the schools generate a motivating space and educational trajectories of quality, attending especially to the reality of each student and strengthening also the relationship with others within the school.
Simultaneously, a group of counselors, who are references for the young that return to study, accompany them doing their assignments out of the school to help them sort out any inconvenient that could appear in their schooling.
Using virtual environments widens the scope of the program with an original and innovative initiative for students over 18 years old. The proposal, which includes the accompaniment of teaching tutors, involves a virtual platform and face-to-face meetings in facilities near the students´ houses.
It is implemented also a strategy of socio-educational strategy intended specifically to those workers of the State, companies and guilds that cooperate to offer a flexible schedule, which respects working ours.
So far, 10,615 students have returned to study in the context of the Back to School Plan; meanwhile more than 3200 people are under part-time attendance conditions, and 594 through overcoming time mode.
ATTENDANTS
Also participated in the ceremony of recognition, the Secretariat for Planning and Educational Articulation, Carina Gerlero; and the Provincial Coordinator to the Back To School Plan, Susana Copertari.
