Education is a fundamental right that must be guaranteed to all children and adolescents, but unfortunately, in the commune of Copiapó, an alarming situation is being experienced. More than 500 families are without enrollment for their children in educational establishments, generating a true educational emergency in the area.
Deputy Juan Santana (PS) expressed his concern about this situation, describing it as “unpresentable” and requesting the intervention of the Ministry of Education and the Local Public Education Service (SLEP) Atacama. During a session of the Education Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, this issue was addressed and information was requested about the operation of the School Admission System.
The Undersecretary of Education, Alejandra Arratia, recognized the existence of waiting lists and coverage problems in several communes, including Copiapó. She explained that measures are being implemented to solve this problem, such as the creation of new places in educational establishments and the flexibility of schedules to accommodate more students.
With the purpose “of truly acting to confront the educational emergency”, the president of the Senate Education Commission, José García together with senators Yasna Provoste and Paulina Núñez and senator Gustavo Sanhueza They demanded concrete solutions from the government to enshrine the right to education.
Senator García stated that “the government presented a project, but it was quite insufficient and there has been no legislative movement or urgency, despite the crisis that is being experienced due to the lack of school enrollment.”
In this regard, Senator Provoste added that “we are deeply struck by the lack of proactivity of the Undersecretary of Education, where there is direct responsibility. “You cannot tell us that they are only going to consolidate this data in April.” Provoste announced that the Education Commission will present and process a project to face the complex situation that is experienced by the lack of enrollment and will ask the Ombudsman for Children to demand the right to education.
“As a commission we are going to present a bill to repeal all the impossibilities that exist to expand the number of courses with different supporters, whether municipal or subsidized private individuals“, and added that “In a transversal way we are going to turn to the Ombudsman for Children so that within the framework of its powers make the right to education of boys and girls enforceable in our country, a right that is being violated today due to the impediment of registration.” He also specified that they met with the representation of more than 500 families in the commune of Copiapó alone “and so that the Mineduc authorities do not say that this only happens in Atacama, Lucrecia Mena accompanies us on behalf of many representatives of Tarapacá.”