We can still remember the time when illiteracy was not uncommon and access to university was a privilege. Today, the global educational level has improved greatly, but this does not mean it is what our society needs to advance. International comparisons are worrying, but the domestic evidence is equally so, or even more so. Promoting economic policies will be of no use if the education system is not strengthened and improved.
We are facing a profound problem that cannot be simplified or solved with a package of immediate measures. It is the product of decades and will require time and constant effort to correct. I'll take one of the demonstrations to draw the thread: more than 40% of applicants fail the aptitude tests for teaching, the PAP (ARA, 05/14/2024). And this has been the case in all eight editions: globally, 40% have failed. The tests are very basic (check it out: search for "PAP exams"), and such a high and sustained rate of failures raises concerns about the level of aspiring teachers, but above all, about that of some of the teachers trained years ago, when these tests weren't mandatory. We are facing a vicious cycle that can't be broken by just one point. It must be addressed in all areas involved. At universities, the standards for teacher accreditation and education degrees must be raised, reintroducing mandatory subjects with scientific and humanistic content. The department responsible for education must incentivize professional development that recognizes quality and impact. Schools should reduce the fragmentation of knowledge and place greater emphasis on eliminating the shortcomings that PAPs reveal, particularly in the logic and mathematics tests.
