VVOB Ecuador collaborates with the Ministry of Education within the programme Gestores Escuelas del Cambio (Schools as actors of change) on different lines. An important element is supporting the design and implementation of a new model for the inspectorate and supervision. Beatriz Caicedo is an important partner as she is directly responsible to the Minister. We asked Beatriz Caicedo what the VVOB support in the past year meant to her.
"I think it is right to say that in my work the role of VVOB proved to be very important. In particular the support of Caroline Decombel, the coordinator of educational support and inspectorate, as well as Wim de Boer in his position as VVOB programme manager.
The cooperation with VVOB not only meant supporting activities that we carried out within the framework of the new model for school inspection and supervision, but also strengthening the capacity of my team. One example is the study visit to Belgium and the Netherlands, where we had the opportunity to get to know the education systems and to exchange ideas. This has helped us to reflect on our own model and its application.
The international conference we organised with VVOB was another important contribution. During the conference international and national experts were given the stage, and all executives, managers, authorities and representatives of civil society organisations attended. The proposal for the new model for school inspection and supervision was officially presented at this meeting. This joint effort contributed significantly to the quality of education.
I would like to mention another element. VVOB has given us technical support through the consultancy of Inés Agerrondo, an Argentine expert with a strong track record in educational reform.
Thank you on behalf of the Ministry in general, and my department in particular. With the unconditional support for the new model it has been possible to work together in an interesting way, to exchange ideas, to learn new models and approaches and to address the challenges that Ecuador is facing today."
