In fourth June 1946, a period when Juan Domingo Peron became president of Argentina, many wishes of the people were fulfilled in education taking the central stage. His ideas and the changes that happened in his era came to be known as Peronism. The people of Argentina had gone through a series of hardships such as a coup d’états that took place in the year of 1943. The coups brought new regimes that had different goals compared to the previous rule (Rein, 4). The new government wanted to implement changes in the economic and social structures of the country. The Peronist administration also had the intention of integrating all the levels of education so as to make them one system. The government passed a series of law reforms so as to make their plans get achieved. The government took pedagogic methods that could change the system of education in Argentina ultimately. The education was aimed at achieving national unity and spiritual unity.
One of the greatest achievements Peronism obtained in the area of education was making it free. The government under Juan Peron passed a reform that allowed all children who qualified from one level to proceed to the next level without paying school fees. This change opened the hopes of many children who were from poor families and those who did not earlier had the chance to attend school. The generation that was lucky to come in the wake of these reforms brought a big change and a new face in Argentinian societies. This reform however was only for the primary institutions. Therefore, every child was able to attend school regardless of background (Rein, 6).
The government of Juan Peron organized a technical education course that was under the supervision. The government created the National Commission on Vocational Education and Orientation that was aimed at creating a society that was technically oriented. The plan was to meet the technological demands of that time for the world was changing, and the government wanted to satisfy the needs of the people. The technical education however is viewed by other people as a way of holding those who were not at work by then to pave the way those who were skilled (Rein, 22). Those who were skilled got jobs while those who were not were allowed to attend formal institutions to get jobs. The technical education on its part greatly helped in matching with the changing world.
The Argentinian school system and the education itself underwent a process of politicization that was very pronounced. Being one of the fundamental goals and aim of Peron, the government made every effort to motivate the young learners. The government desire to promote nationalism through education had adopted the teaching of religion in schools. The catholic churches were very much in support of this school system, but those were from the opposition parties were not supporting this agenda. This teaching of his ideologies to the students was crucial for the total unification and instilling of nationalism to their hearts (Rein, 23). The result of this political partisans was that most of these students wanted his return to power after he was ejected out of office by coup d’état. This way of an instilling nationalism would have been useful and very efficient if he had allowed for democracy to take place in Argentina. Therefore, the education was used by the Peronist leaders to help in politicizing their leadership and claiming support from the local citizens.
Through education, the Peronists wanted to achieve social justice and democratization of the Argentinian society by providing equal opportunities. They wished to correct the mistakes of the previous regimes where they had not brought many reforms. Every child was supposed to attend school, and free meals were provided. The government started to build many schools around the country giving orientations so as to get a large number of people as possible. The children were given scholarships and arrangements for their transport to school were even arranged indicating how significant the peronists had achieved. This change brought many young people together who were glad to enjoy social justice that was created due to these schools (Rein, 27).
In conclusion, one system of education through the curriculum was changed a lot to suit the desires of the ruling party. The branches of education being one were turned to the regime’s media which used this to convey their justicialismo. This led to the creation of a monolithic consciousness across the country. The Peron’s philosophy gave the children and adolescents a central role for he saw them as the future leaders of the country. These ideas although political changed the education in Argentina ultimately.
Works Cited
Rein, M. E. Politics and education in Argentina, 1946-1962. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 1998. Print.
