Populist Congress: New Universities Surge in Four Years
Here’s a summary of the article, focusing on the key points:
Peru is experiencing a surge in the creation of new public universities, but this is raising serious concerns about financial sustainability and quality.
Key Points:
* record Number of Universities: 47 new universities have been approved recently, bringing the total to 98 (only two short of a national total). This is a record number for any legislative period in Peruvian history.
* Budget Concerns: Opening a single university requires 105 million soles (just for initial setup, without labs). For all 47 new universities, this totals 4.935 billion soles – a quarter of the proposed 2025 education budget. This would necessitate cuts to existing school infrastructure, teacher salaries, and programs.
* Criticism of Congress: Critics (like former Education Minister Idel Vexler) accuse Congressmen of “populist and irresponsible” behavior,creating universities to boost re-election chances without a realistic plan for funding. They are seen as creating “paper universities” that won’t actually open.
* Existing University Neglect: The Association of National Universities of Peru (AUNAP) argues that the Executive branch is cutting budgets for already-licensed universities while Congress creates new ones.
* Call for Moratorium: AUNAP is urging Congress to halt the creation of new universities until funding for existing ones is secured.
* Past Comparisons: The current surge contrasts sharply with the 2006-2011 period under Alan garcía, where 16 universities were opened, but manny remain only on paper due to lack of funding.
In essence, the article paints a picture of a political move to create universities that is likely unsustainable and potentially damaging to the overall quality of higher education in Peru.