On August 26, 1942, the Directorate General of Vocational Education was created, under the mandate of President Juan Antonio Ríos. There are currently 931 Technical and Vocational (TP) secondary schools across the country, representing 37% of all third- and fourth-grade enrollments with just over 160,000 students. 46% of them study at a public institution that offers this training. For its part, TP Higher Education accounts for more than 50% of first-year enrollment in undergraduate undergraduate courses.
Within the framework of the Technical Vocational Education Day, the Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Research, Flavio Salazar, visited the San Fernando Industrial School on Wednesday, August 24, to learn more about this educational project, which in addition to its mission as a professional technologist, is engaged in scientific research in the social sciences Through the PAR Explora Program, implemented by O’Higgins University in the region.
“Today we are partnering with students of Technical Vocational Education at San Fernando Industrial School. The activity focused on the importance of knowledge and science to the development of the country, but with a viewpoint related to communities. In addition, we witnessed the advances they made in their training, but also regarding the concerns they raised with us About how to go into research, both in the field of robotics, as well as in the social sciences and environmental care.It was a very interesting initiative, which was in line with the efforts that we are making as a ministry to bring science and knowledge closer to societies, but also to bring together the value that these societies have in building a model A new development, where everyone can contribute to this challenge and that is not only from a scientific point of view, engineers in universities, but also requires operators and technicians trained at a high level, as in developed countries, commented the Minister of Science, Flavio Salazar.
During the visit, Minister Salazar was able to learn about the project “An Approach to Social Imagination and Society Perception of Antarctica and Climate Change” implemented by the Scientific Academy of the Secondary School, part of the IIE Academies at PAR Explora, under the guidance of the history teacher, Victor Leon (finalist of the 2021 World Teacher Prize ).
The official visit was attended by Minister Salazar, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, Nicolas Cataldo. Head of the Science and Society Department at the Ministry of Science, Sonia Perez; PAR Explora Regional Director, Rodrigo Verschi; Colchagua Presidential Delegate Marta Pizarro; Seremi of Sciences, Sofía Valenzuela; Mayor of San Fernando, Pablo Silva; Principal of San Fernando Industrial High School Carlos Moreno; In addition to Senators Alejandra Sepulveda and Juan Luis Castro.
“I think it is a very good signal from the Ministry, and it is in line with what our President Gabriel Borek wants; on the other hand, the decentralization, as the Minister indicated, it is good to see the authorities in the regions and not in the regional capitals, like San Fernando; and in the case of vocational technical education, It has long been seen as the younger brother of professionals, however, more and more in OECD countries, with which we would like to compare ourselves, professional technical jobs are evaluated very well”, added SEREMI of sciences in the Greater Central and Southern Region, Sophia Valenzuela.
“Technical and vocational education, like all kinds of education, is very important for the development of the country, so we are very happy that the Minister is visiting our region in the context of Technical and Vocational Education Day, and moreover, do it by visiting the high school that worked hard on research in the field of science computer. through the Explora Scholastic Research and Innovation Tool,” said PAR Explora Director O’Higgins and Director of UOH’s Institute of Engineering Sciences, Rodrigo Verscha.
San Fernando Industrial High School
San Fernando Industrial School (former Craftsmen’s School) has a history of 81 years, passing through countless disciplines, including turning mechanics, agricultural mechanics, furniture, blacksmithing, foundry, electrical, and more. In 2007, Liceo Industrial lives a milestone in its history, as it became mixed for the first time.
“For us it is a source of pride and, therefore, an appreciation for the work that is constantly done in the school, especially with the faculty. It is not usual for an industrial high school to work with science, especially social issues, and for a minister to come to San Fernando to our high school, This is a source of pride for our work,” confirmed the director of San Fernando Industrial High School, Carlos Moreno.
“Ha sido una instancia muy simbólica, porque historicamente los liceos industriales han sido dejados por los gobiernos, por lo que ha sido muy pertinente que en el gobierno actual haya llegado un ministroón de Ciencias cotros, com Social sciences. For us as a community, it has been motivating and gives us support to move forward,” concluded Liceo Industrial History Instructor Victor Leon.
