HISTORICAL ABSTRACT

IV WORLD CONGRESS ON EDUCATION (1997)
"Education: The Way"



LIC. MAGALY GIL DE ORTEGA DE VENEZUELA, DR. ALVARO FERNÁNDEZ DE ESPAÑA, DR. EDGARDO DE VINCENZI, PRESIDENT OF COMED AND LIC. PERPETUO LENTIJO FROM ARGENTINA, AT THE OPENING OF THE FOURTH CONGRESS HELD AT THE HILTON HOTEL IN CARACAS.


CARACAS DECLARATION

In the city of Caracas, at the IV World Congress of Education, the representatives of the continental organizations of the World Congress of Private Education (COMED) agree, after four days of debating the most varied points of view, that:

1. A new role of the State should be promoted, fighting those organisms that, at the doors of the XXI century, still insist on being owners, judges and a part of the educational system, ignoring that education affects the whole of society and that their only and true function is working for society and being liberal promoters, minimal supervisors and enablers of law projects for a democratic education. They need to be coordinated with the process of decentralization by means of a system of accreditation, articulation and transference that definitely supports the authentic autonomy of the educational centers.

2. This authentic autonomy of the educational centers, central aim of educational institutions, should be the promoter of advanced projects connected to active, creative and innovative learning processes.

3. State and Society should create appropriate conditions for the teachers to get involved in advanced pedagogical projects without leaving behind a change of attitude in order to be active agents of the process, motivated to motivate, recognizing in the student the ability to participate constantly as a real "engine" of the school.

4. Students should not be taught by means of traditional strategies but rather formed as beings with their own beliefs that can enter the world of information by incorporating technology as a supporting tool.

5. The new conception of school, the reformulation of the new teacher and the possibility to access technological advance will only be possible if States with an intelligent attitude and promoters of a society responsible for educating and for the society itself, invest all the resources that our young ones require in order to be free, flexible and self-critical men and women able to nurture the new societies.

6. This will be possible if and only we form a new citizen, a different society where justice ethics and cooperation make possible the proyects of abolishing poverty and other matters such as addictions and corruption by means of a social behavior based on respect.

7. As a consequence, the World Confederation of Education (COMED) will immediately start its international task to inform the multilateral organisms about the steps to be followed by the federated and confederated associations in order to create fairer societies, more devoted citizens, development-oriented schools, motivating teachers and respected students.

8. In the same way, we support the job of the Health Commission of COMED and FAEPLA in their project to become recognized as an Institution of Worldwide interest.

9. The World Confederation of Education reinforces its support to all the confederated associations in their struggle for an education for freedom and freedom for education, because we are sure that education is the way.

Caracas, October 14th., 1997.

1) ARGENTINE DELEGATES PRESENT AT THE CONGRESS.
2) DR. EDGARDO DE VINCENZI LECTURING IN FRONT OF A BIG AUDIENCE.

AUTHORITIES PRESENT

• Sergio Palacios
• Edgardo De Vincenzi
• María Luisa González
• Perpetuo Lentijo
• Luis Fogliaza
• Rafael Caldera - Venezuela
• Pedro Sánchez - Cuba
• Levio Scatolini - Brazil
• Helio de Lamo - Venezuela
• Reto Moritzi - Switzerland
• Anita Blöchlinger - Switzerland
• Juan Pierre Goznes - Belgium
• Juan Consuegra - Puerto Rico
• Jorge Cifuentes - Chile