Making Visible Educational Inequalities: Lessons From the Pandemic in Peru's Educational System

• In Event: Lessons from the Pandemic: International Perspectives Addressing Highlighted and Exacerbated Educational Inequalities

Abstract

As in other countries, in Peru the Covid 19 pandemic revealed structural inequalities in the educational system. However, Peru is one of the 8 countries in the world where the school system remained closed since the beginning of the pandemic, with only partial opening, mainly in rural areas. As in other countries in Latin America, a distant education was implemented through web platforms, radio and TV. However, the scarce connectivity in rural areas and lack of digital devices showed the great digital gap in the country and the impact in the schooling of rural children. This situation fueled responses in two directions: acquisition and distribution of tablets on the one hand and partial reopening in rural schools with biosecurity conditions on the other. However other gaps remain to be attended, such as WASH facilities, existent in only 1 of 5 of rural schools and 1 of 3 urban schools. Equally, a more integral plan to warrant connectivity in a more permanent way is still pending. Also, target the school staff as priority for vaccination was a late decision in comparison with other countries (only in july 2021). This paper analyses the different policy responses to inequalities revealed by the pandemic in a context now marked by urban parents demanding the reopening of urban schools, amidst a polarized political scenario with a new government lead by a teacher, for the first time in the story of the country.

Author

• Patricia Ames, Pontificia Universidad Catolica, Peru