GUATEMALA: National Program for Autonomously Managed Educational Development (PRONADE) Context Guatemala is a country with a population of more than 12 million and a territory of 108,834 square kilometers. Administratively, the country is divided into 22 departments, with 331 municipalities and more than 23,000 small communities. It is estimated that 80 percent of the population lives in poverty and that 60 percent live in rural areas. In relation to its cultural context Guatemala is composed of four major groups: Maya, laden, Xinxa and Garifuna. They speak 24 languages, 21 of which are Mayan-based. Both the Peace Accords and the Educational Reform stress the need to create mechanisms for expanding indigenous community access to education, develop modalities for facilitating such access, promote decentralization, and ensure a central place for community participation. The National Program for Autonomously Managed Educational Development (PRONADE) was established in 1996 by Government Agreement 457-96. It serves generally remote rural communities historically without access to educational services. PRONADE now serves more than 3,400 schools throughout the country. PRONADE operates through local Educational Committees (COEDUCAs) legally organized to administer Autonomously Managed Community Schools (EACs), on a decentralized basis with financing from the Ministry of Education. Objectives To promote the participation of parents as the parties responsible for the education of their children. To strengthen local organization with a view to community development. To decentralize the education system. To divide functions and share responsibilities with the COEDUCAs, the ISEs, and other offices of the Ministry of Education. The program is founded on the principles of solidarity, citizen participation, administrative efficiency, and democratic strengthening. Pedagogical Challenges Social and educational inequities in Guatemala have resulted in the exclusion of certain segments of society. One such segment is the rural population, composed largely of indigenous farmers living in conditions of poverty or extreme poverty. An objective indicator of this exclusion is the lack of educational facilities in these communities, which constituted the program�s raison d��tre. The problem consists of needs felt by the community and observed by the Ministry and international agencies. General Description In order for a community in the program to obtain an ACE, a four-stage process must be completed. For each stage, terms of reference have been developed to provide ISEs with compulsory guidelines providing the basis for rating the performance of these institutions in their work with the communities. The stages are as follows: Identification of communities. Organization and legal establishment of the COEDUCAs; related training. Follow-up. Monitoring. Participating Individuals and Institutions Ministry of Education: establishes technical, educational, financial, and administrative requirements; monitors and ensures the quality of education; transfers resources enabling organized communities to finance teacher salaries and support services (nutritional assistance, teaching materials, and school supplies); and supervises, controls, and guides the effective operation of the program. Departmental Directorates: provide support for the identification of underserved communities, the promotion of autonomous community management, and coordination with local institutions. Executing Unit of PRONADE: implements and administers the program as such (determining the communities to be served, signing agreements, hiring and supervising the Education Service Institutions, etc.). Education Service Institutions (ISEs): work directly with communities on organization, training, and guidance for COEDUCAs and teachers, supervising the use of financial resources, etc. Education Committees (COEDUCAs): administer the education process in schools (with the authority to select and hire teachers and to set the school year calendar and daily schedule) and are responsible for financial management. Budget and Financing The budget is provided by the Ministry of Education and covers the administrative costs of the COEDUCAs. Assistance is also received from the World Bank and the UNDP. Strengths The empowerment of 3,433 committees nationwide. Coverage expanded to nearly every department in the country (21 out of 22). Improvements in student performance and the number of children staying in school. Coverage targets were met one year early. Increase in the effective number of classroom hours. Increase in the number of class days per year (results of the experimental study). The assignment of teachers speaking the same language as their students. Lessons Learned That the empowerment process is possible only when communities assume responsibility for administration themselves. That performance is a matter of practice, not definition. That decentralization is an integral process, requiring appropriate design, regulation, monitoring, and financing. That the best decentralization model is defined as a function of the capacity of civil society and/or local institutions. That decentralization must be based on a clear and solid policy of equity for the purpose of improving administration, and not on the basis of particular political interests. That local public policies flow from the needs of the community and its expectations. Challenges To gain greater independence from government agencies in decision-making and financing, without reliance on the central government. To significantly improve educational quality on a pluralistic, equitable, and multilingual basis. To increase the national budget allocated to the program, as a reflection of the political will to support it. Responding to the Challenges of the Summit The Plan of Action of the Third Summit of the Americas establishes a clear commitment to equity, especially in regards to indigenous peoples. PRONADE, in an inclusive and participatory fashion, responds to this challenge. Back to Eje 2