I’m Nele De Backer, one of the three Flemish associates of VVOB in the programme Escuelas Gestoras del Cambio in Ecuador. The goal of our programme is ambitious: improve the quality of elementary education in the ten provinces of Ecuador. In line with the vision of VVOB we don’t work on micro level to obtain this (e.g. in a school); but on meso level, at the Ministry. This is a big challenge as bad communication and differing visions have led to very few or even no cooperation between the different departments. A big part of our task is to bring those persons together and put their noses in the same direction. Luckily a new dynamic has been growing wherefore many people want to support our programme.
Escuelas Gestoras del Cambio focuses on three subjects: the professionalization of teachers, the teachers education and the inspection. I am responsible for the professionalization, a polemical subject. At this moment several institutions are authorized to give training. But there is little or no follow-up wherefore the learnt skills hardly get in the classrooms, since many teachers follow training as this gives them the opportunity to get a raise of salary. It is my job and ambition to support the construction of a system which ensures the results of the training really enter the classrooms, so the necessary innovation can get introduced.
