The San Pedro de Atacama Study Leveling Program began a new version with 105 students enrolled, strengthening access to educational opportunities for the communities of the Atacama Salt Flat.
Educational Leveling Program Benefits Residents in Atacama
With 105 students enrolled, the Study Leveling Program began in the San Pedro de Atacama commune, which for the third consecutive year has the support of SQM. The initiative, managed with the Ministry of Education, is intended for all people in the Salar de Atacama towns who need to complete their basic or high school studies.
“This is wonderful and covers an important need that we have in the commune. I understand and know very closely the situation of people who do not have their studies leveled, therefore, for me it is a very great satisfaction that the residents of San Pedro de Atacama manage to get their fourth grade, ”explained Mayor Aliro Catur.
The program, promoted by the Municipality of San Pedro de Atacama through its Municipal Office of Labor Intermediation, Semilla Foundation, OTEC Training Da Vinci and SQM, aims to promote the continuity of studies and complete secondary education or level the cycle basic educational. With this, it seeks to improve the quality of life, providing a tool that could generate new educational and work opportunities for the inhabitants of the commune.
“I sincerely thank SQM for the support. We are already in the third year of the program and for us it is very beneficial because we have been observing the interest on the part of the community in participating in these initiatives and completing their secondary and basic studies. Last year 83 people signed up, today we start a new day with 105 registered students ”, stressed the mayor.
The initiative seeks to expand educational and employment opportunities
In this regard, the Vice President of Environment and Communities of SQM Salar, Alejandro Bucher, highlighted the importance of creating opportunities that support the leveling of studies.
“We are very pleased to be part of the development of this program, which aims to contribute to the creation of new educational and employment opportunities for the residents of the Atacama Salt Flat, with the goal of improving the quality of life and employability in the community. This complements the community work we carry out as a company through our four areas of focus: Education and Culture; Social Development; Heritage; and Sports and Healthy Living. An example of this, in the educational field, is the Math and Language Support Program for the towns of Camar, Peine, Socaire, Solor, and Talabre, which we have been running for over 10 years.”
Class methodology
During this third version and with the aim of safeguarding people's health, respecting health standards and social distancing, preventing possible infections due to COVID-19, the class methodology will only be online. To do this and in order to facilitate access to the program, a subsidy was incorporated to guarantee internet connectivity for students. Also, this year the program integrates people from other localities, such as Camar, Río Grande, Talabre and Toconao.
Distance learning classes will be held twice a week and will be divided into cycles: 5th to 6th grade, 7th to 8th grade, 1st to 2nd year of high school and, finally, the 3rd to 4th year of high school cycle.
“The idea is for people to be able to obtain their high school diploma and at the same time recover their lost dreams. That's why, in this new version, we've adapted to the current situation and classes will be held on Fridays and Saturdays via Zoom. Furthermore, since we know that several areas in the municipality lack internet access, we've conducted test connections, teaching students how to download and use the application,” explained Víctor Adasme, head of the Municipal Labor Information Office (OMIL).
“I congratulate the students who took on this new challenge to finish their educational cycle and I urge them to develop each course with energy and optimism in order to successfully complete this new stage, which finally seeks to improve job opportunities and give continuity of study to the neighbors of the commune ”, concluded the Vice President of Environment and Communities of SQM Salar, Alejandro Bucher.
