Tag Archives: Venezuela

According to collegesanduniversitiesinusa, Venezuela has a long and rich educational history that has been shaped by the various political, economic and social changes that have occurred in the country over the years. Education in Venezuela was first established in 1525 when Spanish colonizers opened the first school in Caracas. During this period, education was mainly focused on providing religious instruction and teaching European customs to local indigenous populations. In 1811, Venezuela gained its independence from Spain and education became more accessible to citizens of all classes. During this period, new universities were founded across the country including Universidad Central de Venezuela (1830) and Universidad de Los Andes (1842). In the late 19th century, the Venezuelan government began investing heavily in public schools as part of an effort to improve literacy rates across the population. This resulted in a dramatic increase in school enrollment rates with nearly 80% of children between 6-14 attending school by 1914. The 20th century saw further investment in education as well as a focus on expanding access for all citizens regardless of gender or economic background. This included initiatives such as free primary education, scholarships for higher education, adult literacy programs and special needs programs for disabled students. By 2009, Venezuela had achieved near universal primary school enrollment with over 97% of children attending school. Secondary school enrollment was also quite high at 82%. However, there were still significant disparities between urban and rural areas with only 71% of rural students attending secondary school compared to 87% of urban students. In 2009, Venezuela was a country in political and economic turmoil. Under the presidency of Hugo Chavez, the country had become increasingly reliant on oil revenues to fund its social programs, while neglecting its other industries. This reliance had left the economy of Venezuela vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil prices, which were especially low in 2009. The government’s heavy-handed control of the media and other civil society institutions also created a tense political environment within Venezuela. Additionally, Chavez had often alienated many of his neighbors with his outspoken rhetoric and foreign policy decisions. This had led to increased tensions between Venezuela and its neighbors on issues such as trade, immigration, and border security. As a result, many countries in the region had become wary of Venezuela’s intentions and sought to limit their involvement with it. Check naturegnosis for Venezuela in 2001.