Abstract
This article describes the educational situation of indigenous peoples in Latin America, and in particular their scant participation in adult education activities. It analyses the historical, structural and institutional barriers to their greater involvement in adult education. The article proposes to look at indigenous demands on education as a potential way out of educational stagnation of indigenous adults, which is one of the challenges clearly formulated by UNESCO member states during CONFINTEA VI as a priority to be faced. The article concludes arguing the case for intercultural education, not only among indigenous peoples, but for the whole of the population, to be a guiding philosophy for education in general and adult education in particular in Latin American countries. It emphasises the fact that this cannot be achieved without the active participation of indigenous peoples themselves.
Resumé
Éducation des adultes et peuples autochtones en Amérique latine – Cet article décrit la situation éducative des peuples autochtones en Amérique latine, et notamment leur participation bien faible aux activités d’éducation des adultes. L’auteure analyse les obstacles historiques, structurels et institutionnels qui entravent une plus grande implication de leur part dans l’éducation des adultes. Elle propose d’examiner les revendications des autochtones en matière d’éducation et de les exploiter pour sortir de la stagnation éducative des adultes autochtones. Cette stagnation constitue l’un des défis clairement exprimés par les États membres de l’UNESCO lors de CONFINTEA VI, auxquels il convient de s’attaquer en priorité. L’article conclut par un plaidoyer en faveur de l’éducation interculturelle, dispensée non seulement auprès des peuples autochtones mais de la population entière, pour devenir une philosophie centrale de l’éducation en général et de l’éducation des adultes en particulier dans les pays latino-américains. L’auteure souligne le fait que cet objectif ne peut être atteint sans la participation active des peuples autochtones eux-mêmes.
Zusammenfassung
Die indigenen Völker in Lateinamerika und die Erwachsenenbildung – In diesem Artikel wird die Bildungssituation der indigenen Völker in Lateinamerika beschrieben, insbesondere deren schwache Teilhabe an Maßnahmen im Bereich der Erwachsenenbildung. Es werden die historischen, strukturellen und institutionellen Hindernisse für ihre stärkere Beteiligung an der Erwachsenenbildung analysiert. Dieser Artikel tritt dafür ein, sich damit zu beschäftigen, welche Anforderungen sie an die Bildung stellen, und so einen möglichen Weg zu finden, um den Bildungsstillstand erwachsener Ureinwohner zu überwinden. Dies ist eine der Herausforderungen, die die UNESCO-Mitgliedstaaten während der CONFINTEA VI eindeutig als vordringliche Aufgabe formuliert haben. Der Artikel schließt mit einem Plädoyer dafür, die interkulturelle Bildung in lateinamerikanischen Ländern zum Leitgedanken der Bildung im Allgemeinen und der Erwachsenenbildung im Besonderen zu machen, und zwar nicht nur für die indigenen Völker, sondern für die gesamte Bevölkerung. Es wird Wert auf die Feststellung gelegt, dass dies nicht ohne die aktive Beteiligung der indigenen Völker zu erreichen ist.
Resumen
La educación de personas adultas y poblaciones indígenas en América Latina – En este artículo, la autora describe la situación educativa de poblaciones indígenas en América Latina y, en particular, su insuficiente participación en actividades de educación para personas adultas. Analiza las barreras históricas, estructurales e institucionales que impiden su mayor implicación en la educación de personas adultas. Con este artículo, la autora propone una mirada a las demandas indígenas de educación como un camino que permitiría salir del estancamiento educativo de adultos indígenas. Este, es uno de los retos claramente formulados por los Estados miembro de la UNESCO durante la CONFINTEA VI, como una de las prioridades que se deben encarar. Al finalizar, la autora aborda el tema de la educación intercultural –no solo entre poblaciones indígenas, sino para la totalidad de la población– como filosofía que en los países latinoamericanos guíe la educación en general y la educación de personas adultas en particular, remarcando que esto no se puede lograr sin la participación activa de las mismas poblaciones indígenas.
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Notes
The term here refers to the dominant sectors of society, not necessarily the majority, since in some countries, such as Bolivia and Guatemala, the indigenous population represents the majority.
“Yo Sí Puedo” is a Cuban literacy method which has been introduced by the Cubans, on invitation by several countries, into Latin America. It has been severely criticised because it makes people “literate” in a short time, and the relapse into illiteracy when they do not continue with the “Yo Sí Puedo Seguir” (Yes, I can continue), which is much less widespread, has been well documented.
One example in point are indigenous primary school teachers in Mexico. They are recruited with no initial teacher training, on the assumption that it is more important for them to speak the language of the children than to have teaching credentials. However, as much as 30% of indigenous teachers work in schools where the language of the children is different from theirs. The decision to recruit teachers without professional teacher training was taken in 1978. Since then the number of indigenous high-school graduates has increased considerably, and many of these could have gone into teacher training institutions.
To be noted are the Mexican MEVyT programme, an adult basic education programme which is modular and allows for self-adaptation to different types of population and is now including materials in indigenous languages, and the Bolivian “Yo Sí Puedo”, which has been translated to Quechua and Aymara.
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Schmelkes, S. Adult education and indigenous peoples in Latin America. Int Rev Educ 57, 89–105 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-011-9191-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-011-9191-2