Costa Rica, as many countries in the world, once they have beaten quantitative policies of assurance the access to education (according to MEP, nowadays 95% of population is literate), they should deal with qualitative policies, which assure quality and efficiency in the system. Besides, if we consider the dropping out rate in 2012, according to MEC for the 3rd Cycle and diversified education was 13.5%, and the average of dropping out in 2011 from 80 schools linked to PROEDUCA was 25.48%; we agree that Secondary Education stage presents more challenges than other stages. It’s clear that it must be designed actions, together with current efforts and initiatives, will look for a small decrease of the academic failure rates, in dropout cases as much as in retaking classes or abandonment of educational system (OECD, 2013; SITEAL, 2010).
Thus, it is contemplated as a general aim: Improve continuity rates in secondary education students in Costa Rica. This purpose is settled in 3 operational goals: 1) Designing a comprehensive handmade about orientation and tutoring focused in assisting night students. 2) Developing curriculum development actions, organizational actions, professional actions and community actions.3) Discuss and spread the results through professional practice communities.
The present proposal is led by two reference organizations. In Latinoamerica’s side, the project counts with the involvement of the Administration of the Vice-chancellor of Research and Extension of Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica (TEC), which have a long career in cooperation, national and international educational collaboration. And as a European representative, there is Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), the best Spanish university positioned according to international rankings (QS, THES, Shanghái). The background that guarantees the relationship with the proposal are three: a) Commitment with improvement and promotion of vulnerable groups in Latin America b) the career and specialization rank of the proposal promoters in the project topics as much as in school contexts and social contexts where is intended to develop it and c) the complementarity between the profile of both institutions with a value added of the intention of working coordinately between them.
The main beneficiary will be the students of the 12 centers/sections of night shift in secondary education while they also belong to the 11 of 21 centers of PROEDUCA net. Additionally, the night shift students belonging to the 11 remaining net will take part too.
It’s foreseen that other figures will benefit for this: managers and pedagogical responsible of the schools participants, and the teachers who develop the intervention plans with this students. Obviously, the Regional Office of Education of Costa Rica will participate too.
The action is divided in 3 stages: Design, Develop and Divulgation, and each one of them it will be connected to an operational goal. In each stage, two actuation areas will be developed and originate the activities plan. Moreover, in each of these actuation areas it is foreseen meetings and sectoral reunions for coordinating as much as for training, divulgation, exchange and evaluation. Each of these activities has assigned specific results shown as a product that has associated an evidence of compliance and quality.
The expected time for developing the Action is 12 months, adjusted to the compliance of each of the operational goals and Project stages; and the school Schedule fixed by Education Administration of Costa Rica.
Budget: 173.308,75 €