REFORM OF THE TEACHING PROFESSION IN NICARAGUA

1. “NEW APPROACHES TO POLICY AND PRACTICE FOR TEACHER EDUCATORS IN THE AMERICAS” REFORM OF THE TEACHING PROFESSION IN NICARAGUA Presentation for University of Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Education and the OAS By Nidia Mejia-Arias September 2006

2. CURRENT SITUATION REGARDING TEACHER EDUCATION WITHIN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF NICARAGUA • The Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports is responsible for teacher education at the primary school level provided in thirteen teacher colleges: 8 public, 3 private, 2 subsidized • The level of training is for middle education. • Entrance to the Normal schools is for: -high school graduates and lasts 2 years - Basic cycle: lasts 3 years • Degree: “Master of Primary Education” with an emphasis in teaching regular primary education

3. IMPORTANT ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE MINISTRY IN TRANSFORMING EDUCATION With the intention of offering a quality education, we have undertaken the following : • National Education Plan 2001-2005 • Transformation of General Basic Education • MECS education policies (2004) • Policy Nº 1: Structural transformation to create a quality education system. Lines of Action: - Improving teaching conditions - Instituting programs for continued trainingand professionalization - Transforming teacher training colleges into higher education institutions

4. JUSTIFYING REASONS FOR REFORMING THE TEACHING PROFESSION IN NICARAGUA 1. Initial teacher training does not make teachers sufficiently knowledgeable of new methodologies. • Training from evaluation to teaching position and professional development was not well articulated. • The transformation of primary education was based in competency. • Training generally does not address different modalities for Nicaraguan primary education. 5. The current system does not take into account quality within primary education, which is necessary to meet the needs of Nicaraguan society.

5. JUSTIFYING REASONS FOR REFORMING THE TEACHING PROFESSION IN NICARAGUA 6. Level of training: middle education, does not last long enough nor has enough depth. 7. Teacher educators from teacher colleges are from middle education. 8. Training is not contextualized to respond to the realities of rural schools in Nicaragua. 9. Training not linked to the continuous and systemized supervision 10. Training provides little, if any preparation or abilities for life and work.

6. ADVANCES IN THE PROCESS OF TEACHER EDUCATION REFORM IN NICARAGUA SINCE THE YEAR 2000 • Defining and outlining the Master of Primary Education (CECC) • Improving teacher training curriculum as a rule for educational standards. • Introducing a process of specialization for teacher educators and for directors of teacher colleges. • Transforming intercultural and bilingual training curriculum in the Atlantic Coast. • Studying the feasibility of institutionalizing teacher training at the higher education level. • Participating in constructing a New Model of Initial Teacher Training in Central America (with the OAS).

7. COMPONENTS OF THE PROCESS OF REFORMING THE TEACHING PROFESSION-2006 • Academic (European Union) • Jurisdictional (European Union) • Economic-Financial (European Union) • Technical Assistance • Study of offereings and needs for teaching careers (IBD)

8. ACADEMIC: Constructing a new pedagogical model for initial teacher training at the tertiary education level in Nicaragua • Outline Base for drop-outs: - Based upon competencies. - Emphasizes educational transformation of primary education. - Compatibility of transforming initial teacher training within Central America. • Designing Curricular Base: - Designing flexible competencies that prepares for teaching in different contexts with continued levels of specialization - Plans and programs of study having different entrance requirements, to reach the same title of “Professor of Primary Education”

9. JURISDICTIONAL: Study of Legal Rules that support Initial Teacher Training at the Tertiary Level in Nicaragua Components of a study: 1. A collection of laws passed which regulate initial teacher training at the primary education level. 2. Analysis of changes, conventions, national and international legal channels that Minstry can use to institutionalize initial teacher training at the tertiary education level. 3. Propose a new legal rule for initial teacher training at the tertiary level.

10. ECONOMIC-FINANCIAL: Study of the financial implications for MECS in carrying out Initial Teacher Training at the Tertiary Level • Sources for financial support, realistic budgets, and future implications. • Increasing institutional budgets in order to reconcile salaries. • Costs of developing human resources. • Costs of investing in physical restructuring and didatic materials for teacher colleges (reference study). • Costs of technical assistance needed in order to transfer the role of teacher colleges to higher education institutions.

11. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Building up higher education institutions and implementing new pedagogical models at the tertiary level • Propose a model to transfer teacher training to higher education institutions. • An operative plan to build up new models of initial teacher education at the tertiary level. • Examining and Accompanying the implementation of action plans, taking into account international experiences.

12. CHALLENGES IN THE COMING YEARS • Training educational supervisors and directors • Certify 7,321 teachers in primary education • Implementing the transformation of normal schools into tertiary institutions • Create a national system of initial teacher training, professional development, and evaluation • Teachers specializing in rural education • Continue to strengthen initial teacher education and scientific research in Central America

13. Thank you for your attention And support for initial teacher education in Nicaragua