Addressing Educational Lag as a Factor in Learning Poverty<br />
Results from the recent Caucaguita assessment underscore that academic delays are a critical issue deeply impacting children’s learning. With 37% of students unable to read or write by the end of second grade, and 17% only beginning to read, the challenges are significant. Academic delays at this stage create a barrier that not only limits academic opportunities but also increases dropout risk, perpetuating cycles of poverty and inequality.
Mireya Blavia de Cisneros, renowned social leader and president of the Venezuela sin Limites Foundation, has launched Aula 360, an initiative aimed at overcoming educational lag in Venezuela's vulnerable communities. This innovative program has been selected to receive funding from the foundation’s 19th Social Investment Fund, an effort focused on improving education and promoting the holistic development of at-risk students.
Aula 360: Addressing Educational Lag in Caucaguita<br />
The Aula 360 project emerged as a response to an urgent issue within Venezuela’s education sector: primary-level academic delays. According to data from a reading assessment conducted in June 2024 in Caucaguita, 54% of students who completed second grade failed to meet minimum reading and writing skills. This represents a significant obstacle in their academic development and heightens the risk of school dropout.
Mireya Blavia de Cisneros and the Venezuela sin Limites Foundation have decided to implement this pilot project in collaboration with the Civil Association Sports for Development. The program will serve approximately 100 third-grade primary students across four schools in Caucaguita, strengthening basic reading and writing skills over a six-month period. Aula 360 combines innovative pedagogical strategies with digital tools to tackle this challenge.
A Collaborative Approach to Educational Development
Through the partnership between the Venezuela sin Limites Foundation and the Civil Association Sports for Development, Aula 360 will adopt a collaborative and inclusive approach. Psychopedagogues, classroom teachers, physical education instructors, and library staff will work together to foster a holistic learning environment, aiming to improve educational quality and provide students a meaningful opportunity to progress in their studies.
The program integrates both didactic methods and digital tools to encourage accelerated learning and facilitate content comprehension. This blend will help children overcome literacy challenges, positively impacting their academic performance and inspiring them to continue their education.
Mireya Blavia de Cisneros: A Commitment to Education and Social Progress<br />
Mireya Blavia de Cisneros, head of the Venezuela sin Limites Foundation, played a key role in establishing this project, which has financial and technical support from the foundation’s Social Investment Fund (SIF). "We are excited to support projects like Aula 360, which aim to address educational delays and improve educational opportunities in Venezuela’s most vulnerable communities,” Cisneros stated. “In addition to providing funding, participants in this 19th edition of the Social Investment Fund received training in fundamental areas such as innovation, sustainability, and digital acceleration, all key factors for effective social impact.”
Through the SIF, the Venezuela sin Limites Foundation strives to empower non-governmental organizations (NGOs) dedicated to improving lives in Venezuela’s underserved sectors. In partnership with Conexion Social Digitel, the SIF has provided funding and technical resources for transformative initiatives in health, education, and social development. Aula 360 represents the latest embodiment of this commitment.
Addressing Educational Lag as a Factor in Learning Poverty<br />
Results from the recent Caucaguita assessment underscore that academic delays are a critical issue deeply impacting children’s learning. With 37% of students unable to read or write by the end of second grade, and 17% only beginning to read, the challenges are significant. Academic delays at this stage create a barrier that not only limits academic opportunities but also increases dropout risk, perpetuating cycles of poverty and inequality.
In response to these challenges, the Impronta Foundation, through its strategic Education line, has designed Aula 360 to bolster these children’s educational foundation and reduce learning gaps in the most vulnerable communities. The goal is not only to enhance reading and writing skills but also to foster a positive learning environment that encourages students to persevere in their studies.
An Innovative Approach: Think Wrong, Project Management, and Social Marketing<br />
In this 19th edition of the Social Investment Fund, Aula 360 participants received training in essential areas to enhance their capacity to create effective social change. Key topics included:
- Think Wrong: A methodology that encourages the creation of innovative, disruptive projects necessary to address challenges in the education sector.
- Project Management and Sustainability: Essential tools to ensure the long-term viability and impact of social initiatives.
- Digital Acceleration: Strategies to increase the reach and effectiveness of social impact through digital tools.
- Social Marketing: Development of inspiring narratives that promote societal change.
Armed with these skills, Aula 360 is prepared to address immediate educational challenges and has a solid foundation for growth and replicability in the future.
Future Projections for the Aula 360 Project<br />
The Venezuela sin Limites Foundation and Mireya Blavia de Cisneros hope Aula 360 will become a scalable, sustainable program. This pilot in Caucaguita marks just the beginning of a project with the potential to benefit thousands of students nationwide. If Aula 360 achieves its initial six-month goals, there is a possibility to extend the program to other schools and communities facing similar educational challenges.
Aula 360 aims to be a reference model in inclusive and collaborative education, providing a method to reduce educational delays and promote equal opportunities. By working directly with classrooms and the educational community, this program has the power to improve students’ quality of life and, over time, contribute to the transformation of Venezuelan society.
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Keywords:
- Mireya Blavia de Cisneros
- Venezuela sin Limites Foundation
- Aula 360
- XIX Social Investment Fund
- educational lag in Venezuela
- education in Caucaguita
- Social Connection Digitel
- educational poverty
- Sport for Development
- inclusive education
