Education System

Education in Galapagos

Galapagos school children learning about their environment. Galapagos schoolchildren learning about how to protect the fragile ecosystem in which they live.

Current educational system

The education system in Galapagos currently serves approximately 5,400 students from 6-18 years of age (approximately 20% of the total population) through 18 primary schools and 9 high schools staffed by 500 teachers and administrators. The number of students is rising quickly with the rapid growth of the population of Galapagos.

There are few private education options in Galapagos. In the 1990s, concerned parents formed the Fundación Scalesia to develop improved educational opportunities for their children. Currently, the Foundation operates the Tomás de Berlanga School on the Island of Santa Cruz, which offers primary and secondary education in English. The Loma Linda Adventist School also offers private, bilingual primary and secondary education on Santa Cruz. The Liceo Naval offers private secondary education on the island of San Cristobal.

Galapagos students seeking university education must study on the mainland. The University of San Francisco in Quito has a program based in San Cristobal which prepares Galapagos youths for its university program and offers a base for university students to complete thesis work. The Charles Darwin Foundation also provides a program for university students from Galapagos and the Ecuadorian mainland to carry out their undergraduate research.

The Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galapagos National Park have worked both in the classroom and through Environmental Education Centers to educate youths and their families about environmental issues. While some progress has been made, this work has been made more difficult with the rapid growth of the local population.

Efforts related to educational reform

The Government of Ecuador began a process of national Curriculum Reform in 1992. Among other objectives, this initiative sought to: define baseline objectives and requirements for different subjects and grade levels; shift from a focus on memorization to more active learning; improve the quality of teachers; and integrate values and environmental education.

Article 32 of the Galapagos Special Law (1998) addressed education in the Galapagos archipelago. While many of the points have yet to be implemented, the Law does provide a framework for reform. Of note, the Special Law calls for:

Education and training focused on the special conditions and needs in Galapagos
Integrated educational reform that incorporates environmental preservation and conservation
Greater local authority for education. The Ministry of Education and Culture grants the Provincial Directorate for Education in Galapagos greater administrative, technical, pedagogical, and administrative responsibilities, and charges the Directorate with implementing integrated educational reform
Improvements to educational infrastructure (bricks and mortar, equipment, books, and technology)
Increased teacher pay
Ongoing evaluation of teachers to ensure the quality of education
Scholarships and educational loans for teachers and students from Galapagos

In 2001-2002, the Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Universidad Tecnológica América, and the Galapagos National Institute (INGALA) conducted a situational analysis of education in Galapagos. The following are some of the conclusions of this study:

The Provincial Directorate for Education lacks the technical preparation and experience needed to assume the challenges associated with implementing integrated educational reform
Education policy and practices are not being implemented uniformly throughout the Islands
There is no consensus among the local educational community about educational trends, learning paradigms, and pedagogical approaches
Although 60% of Galapagos teachers have a university degree, teacher preparation is lacking. An understanding of teaching methodologies and the psychology of learning is particularly weak among teachers
Student knowledge and skills development is weak and below the national average
Proactivity and leadership among students is lacking
There is some evidence of positive effects from environmental education efforts, but the effects have been largely superficial
Environment is not being integrated in the curriculum and schools and teachers are not taking sufficient advantage of the physical surroundings in Galapagos or the opportunities afforded by the Special Law
The level of satisfaction among the educational community (students, teachers, parents, community leaders, government officials, NGOs) is below the national average
Education in Galapagos lacks coherent strategies. There is still too much emphasis on memorization and repetition, and too little emphasis on independent thought and active learning
Not enough is being done to develop English and computer skills
Teachers and students are handicapped by serious deficiencies in educational infrastructure

Necessary investments

Deep educational reform is needed in Galapagos to develop the skills and culture required to ensure the long-term protection of the archipelago. The education system in Galapagos (primary, secondary, and vocational) must replace the existing “frontier mentality” with an understanding that living in and around a pre-eminent national park carries with it a special level of responsibility. The concepts of “environmental citizenship”, balance, and living deliberately within ethical, social, and economic boundaries, are not easy, convenient, or intuitively understood. However, educational reform, mandated in the Galapagos Special Law of 1998, can help bring about such change in Galapagos society. While there is growing awareness of the need to transform education in Galapagos and evolving ideas regarding the kind of education needed, the roadmap for implementing education reform in Galapagos remains unclear. Funding is needed to draw on the best expertise available in educational reform, curriculum design, governance, and teacher training, and to help local institutions and families define the goals, process, indicators of cultural shifts, and behavior, timelines, and funding needed to achieve this kind of educational and cultural transformation.

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