Formosa - Universidad Nacional

by Kelly Talbert

Yesterday I had my last vocational visit in Argentina. I met with the rector of the University of Formosa, and Ofelia, the academic secretary. Just to clarify, her role is an executive administrative position - I find it's a bit misleading when translated.

Rotarian Dorita, me, University Rector, Academic Secretary Ofelia

With each visit I've had here, my perspective on higher education in Argentina has grown more complicated, nuanced, and I must say, less positive than when I arrived. My conversation with the rector focused on the steps they are taking to increase retention at the university. He informed me that out of a class of 3000 first year students, only 1800 remained at the end of the year. By the end of four years, only between 20 to 30 percent will have successfully completed a degree program.

My previous articles have mentioned the vocational orientation efforts at secondary and post-secondary institutions I have visited during this trip. The rector echoed this need, and added that they would really benefit from some kind of information exchange with an institution that publishes recruitment materials. This is not so they can swipe a slogan, because slogans aren't necessary when your commodity is free. They could benefit from those who are used to articulating the benefits and requirements of certain programs.

Ironically, this information would be used for precisely the opposite outcome than what my university uses it for - the University of Oregon is hoping to DECREASE the number of incoming students, and increase the quality and persistence rates of those they do get.

Why? Because here:

- Admission is unrestricted, but that certainly doesn't mean that resources are limitless. They fight tooth and nail for classroom space, books, etc.

- Students who don't know what, let's say, an agronomic engineer does is more than likely to drop out when they become jaded. Even if they do want to persist but need help or tutoring, those kinds of resources are scarcely available. Or worse yet, they languish in a class and take up the seat of a student who really wants to be there.

- For better or worse, the idealistic notion that absolutely every young Argentine should or could graduate with a professional degree does not mesh with the real economic problems this country has, and it is not doing any favors for people who come from poor high schools and are not prepared for college-level work. It might be free, but until the investment in secondary education becomes more substantial, students are going to fail in college, drop out and become disenchanted. With little resources and self-esteem, they turn to crime, starting a family with no way to support it, and other counter-productive behaviors.

In response, the University of Formosa has formed a work group. This group consists of graduate students in the Psycho-pedagogical program (we don´t have this degree in the United States) who are doing entrance and exit evaluations of students - as well as other quantitative research - which will serve as their thesis project for licensure.

This research will hopefully inform their outreach efforts to secondary schools, as well as events they will put together, to inform the public about what they offer. The rector also said he hopes these efforts will begin to change a mentality that young people have here, in which they don't feel committed or responsible for things like attendance, study habits, etc. He wants to engender an idea that an education is an investment and something a student should be engaged in, not just a means to an end. I was so glad to hear this, and although everyone acknowledged that these issues won't be fixed overnight, this is a step in the right direction.

Interestingly, yesterday was also the National Day of the Educator in Argentina. As I stood on my host home's terrace in the morning, I could hear a protest of high school teachers happening a block away over the loudspeakers. They were demanding a living wage, a faculty bathroom, chalk, and to feel safe in school, among other requests. My host mom Cristina mentioned that many teachers have to move from school to school throughout the day, teaching a class here and a class there, because one school doesn't offer enough hours to make ends meet.

I don't know what high school teachers make, but in speaking with faculty from universities, I learned that a mid-career university professor makes about US$1500 per month. This is sufficient they're single, but the majority have families to support. So what happens? They become desperate and struggle for power positions in the department, because more power and status means a higher wage. Because the structure of universities here was imported from France, each department is really its own autonomous region, where they answer to no one and are allowed to manage things with their own agenda in mind - which may not involve serving the students.

That is the most frustrating thing to see. People are so dedicated to teaching - I heard people say many times, "I do it because I´m driven to teach, not because it earns me a living" - and it's a shame to see the higher-ups not efficiently or fairly distributing the funds so that campuses can benefit equally in every province. That's right, all the money for public institutions comes from Buenos Aires. Things are quite centralized in that way, and when you have corruption or self-interests involved at high levels, it can mean insufficient funds for far-off provinces like Formosa.

I could go on about some fascinating theories that some people have about why the government handles education in this way, and why it serves their agenda to lose their best and brightest scientists and researchers to other countries. There are fascinating conspiracy theories, but this isn't the place for those - besides, I've written a novel!

I'm certainly taking back a wealth of information, and I intend to stay in touch with some of these professionals in the interest of goodwill and sharing information.