Editor’s Note: This article is part of an ongoing series about education policy in various countries around the world.
Peru’s education system has been rocked by a nearly two-month-long teachers’ strike that came to a “temporary” end on Sept. 2, but not before tarnishing the image of the government and threatening to force school children to repeat the academic year. While the teachers were able to agree on some terms with the government, many underlying issues remain unresolved. In an email interview, Santiago Cueto, senior researcher at GRADE and a member of Peru’s National Education Council, explains what education in the country currently looks like, what is at the heart of the protests, and how a lack of voices in the debate about education could fuel further unrest in the future.
WPR: What is the general state of Peru’s education system, and what are its biggest challenges?