Aurora Vergara was sworn in as Minister of Education

In the city of Quibdó, Chocó, President Gustavo Petro swore in Aurora Vergara Figueroa as the new Minister of Education. The event took place at the newly inaugurated new headquarters of the Carrasquilla Integrated Industrial Technical Institute.

“This inauguration sends an important message to the country about territorial equity and regional work, with women at the center,” Vergara noted.

This is the first time there has been a black woman as Minister of Education.

He added: “We are going to commit to moving forward with the reform of Law 30 of 1992, to strengthening the quality assurance system, and we will advance so that preschool, basic and secondary education drives the transformation of the country, hand in hand with the transformation of the General System of Participations.”.

For his part, President Petro noted: “This is the first time there has been a black woman as Minister of Education. That comes with great responsibilities., "Because half of our young people cannot access higher education, much less in remote regions like Chocó and the Colombian Pacific.".

During his visit to the department, Vergara explained that the educational project was developed through the Fund for Financing Educational Infrastructure (FFIE).

The project involved an investment of 19.058 billion pesos, of which the Ministry of Education contributed 15.319 billion and the regional government 3.739 billion. These new facilities are expected to benefit 1,440 students in Quibdó.

In addition, in an event held to celebrate the founding of the municipality of Istmina, Speaking in the region where she grew up, the official stated that she hopes to give a strong boost to education in her role: “Being here, in the place where I grew up, is an indescribable honor. Life may have led me to become Minister of Education, but it did not prepare me for the excitement of starting my work at the Ministry from here, from the department of Chocó.”.

Also present was the cultural attaché of the French Embassy, David Bessieres, who presented a scholarship program funded by the French government, called 'Women Scientists'.

The program was developed within the framework of the organization of the promotion of studies in France, which seeks to bring Colombian students to France, as well as promote the mobility of female students in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Registration for this call is now active and will be open until March 31 of this year.

Similarly, it was confirmed during the day that the governments of Colombia and Spain are working on an agreement so that citizens of both countries can access the higher education system in both nations under better conditions.

The official explained: “We are working with the Government of Spain to develop an agreement that we hope the president will be able to sign in the coming days.

This allows people who complete high school in Colombia to access the higher education system in Spain, and people who complete high school in Spain to access the higher education system in Colombia.”.

He noted that this will open "the opportunity for the equivalence between the two state exams between the countries to allow people to enter the systems more quickly, under better conditions, and also for families who end up migrating to have adequate training opportunities.".

Aurora Vergara was the Deputy Minister of Higher Education under former Minister Alejandro Gaviria. She holds a degree in Sociology from Universidad del Valle and a PhD in Sociology from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in the United States.

Source: The Weather

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