The activity involved a collaborative workshop between teachers and key actors from municipal education departments to create a network for strengthening digital skills and tools for students.
The Education + Connectivity project, driven by Cautín and the Enseña Chile Foundation, brought together teachers from 22 rural schools and key actors in municipal education in the commune of Angol, to analyze the challenges of education and the advantages of collaborative teamwork.
Marcelo Neculmán, Executive Director of Cautín, stated that ‘the activity is part of a project we have built in partnership with the Enseña Chile Foundation, aimed at reducing the digital gap and strengthening rural education. This project has enabled us to make significant improvements, including enhancing connectivity in rural schools, supplying technological equipment, and most importantly, providing digital skills and tools to students and teachers to upgrade the learning experience in the classrooms.’
On the other hand, Felipe Solís, head of the San Ramón school in Ercilla, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity. ‘We rarely have the chance to share experiences and learn how to work as a team. It is essential to receive this support through technology; they have connected us, linked us to the world. It is a privilege for us, and this reaffirms the constant, ongoing, and genuine support they have provided us throughout the entire year.’
Fredy Medina, the teacher in charge of the G-44 school in Angol, said: ‘The workshop was a great success, as we had the opportunity to be with colleagues from other schools, share experiences, and highlight the commitment we have as educators. Even though we are on vacation, many of us wanted to be present. This is the way to create collaborative work and show the world that we can indeed make a change.’
Public-Private Partnership
The meeting was also attended by César Chamblás, the head of the Provincial Department of Education of Malleco, who highlighted the initiative and emphasized the importance of the public-private partnership.
‘As we provide more opportunities to our students, we reduce the gaps, and also equip them with tools to ensure their success, we will build a more prosperous and fair country. As the Ministry of Education, we are convinced of the importance of collaboration between institutions, both public and private sectors. We must work together to ensure our students have more and better opportunities, as society demands’, stated Chamblás.
The Executive Director of the Enseña Chile Foundation, Tomás Recart, acknowledged the commitment of the teachers, stressing that the challenge is to reach agreements and work together. ‘The challenge here, as anywhere in the world, is to reach an agreement, work together, and understand that education is crucial; it is the foundation for achieving real development in our country. Without education, it is very difficult to discuss about the environment, equal opportunities, development, productivity, and so on. Education is the base of everything, and therefore, not only reaching an agreement and acting collaboratively is a constant challenge, but also ensuring that students’ learning is the primary focus. Justice begins with ensuring that all children in La Araucanía can read, as simple and concrete as that. It is possible, it can be done.’
