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CONCEPTUAL MAP UNIT 1 TO 4 - Coggle Diagram

- - - - • Colonial Era (16th-18th centuries): Education was controlled by the Church, focusing on clergy training. Institutions like San Agustín College and San Javier College were founded.
      - • 19th Century:
      - o 1872: Creation of the first Normal School for Boys, promoted by Manuel José Hurtado.
      - o Education Expansion: Growth of primary schools, adult education, and secondary education (Balboa College).
      - • Early Republic (1903-1950s):
        
        o 1904: Adoption of the Panamanian Constitution and the first Organic Law of Public Instruction.
        
        o 1915: Standardization of primary and secondary education.
        
        o 1920: Expansion of secondary education and introduction of the second Organic Law, emphasizing free and compulsory education.
        
        o 1946: Approval of Law 47, the current Organic Law on Education.
  - - - 1.3. Study of Its Contents
      - Panama's Constitution and Educational Laws
      - The Constitution
      - • Panama became independent from Colombia in 1903 and adopted its first Constitution in 1904.
      - • Key constitutional reforms:
      - o 1941: Introduced elements of social constitutionalism.
      - o 1946: Confirmed previous reforms.
      - o 1972: Introduced after the 1968 military coup, later reformed in 1978, 1983, and 1994.
      - • Key Sections of the Constitution
      - o Defines Panama’s political, economic, and legal framework.
      - o Establishes citizen rights, government structure, and education policies.
      - o Title XIII: Details the process of constitutional reforms.
    - - Laws and Their Classification
      - • Definition: Laws regulate human behavior and are created by the Legislative Branch.
      - • Types of Laws in Panama (Article 158):
      - o Organic Laws: Govern state administration and public institutions.
      - o Ordinary Laws: Address specific cases and situations.
      - • Law Creation Process:
      - Approval by the Legislative Assembly.
      - Sanction by the President.
      - Promulgation and enforcement.
      - Law 47 of 1946 - Organic Law of Education
      - • Defines education as a human right and duty for all individuals.
      - • Establishes two educational subsystems:
      - o Regular (formal education).
      - o Non-regular (alternative education methods).
      - • Key Articles:
        
        o Article 1: Education is universal, free, and non-discriminatory.
        
        o Article 3: Both public and private education must be accessible to all.
        
        o Article 5: Education is democratic, participatory, and innovative.
        
        o Article 53: Secondary education prepares students for work and higher studies.
        
        o Article 228: The Ministry of Education is responsible for textbook production.
        
        Principles of Panamanian Education (Derived from Law 34 of 1995):
        
        • Public service, a right, and a responsibility of all citizens.
        
        • Democratic and based on solidarity, justice, and national identity.
        
        • Scientific and knowledge-driven, promoting intellectual growth.
        
        • Holistic development, including physical, moral, and civic education.
        
        • State obligation to organize and oversee education, ensuring parental participation.
- - - - • Article 8: The selection process applies to teachers, directors, and supervisors at the national, provincial, and regional levels.
      - • Article 11: Public announcements must be made for appointment competitions.
      - • Article 12: Leadership and supervisory positions are filled through public calls when vacancies arise.
      - • Article 22: Teachers who fail to take office within five working days of notification lose the position.
        
        • Article 23: New teachers are appointed on probation for two years (four years for certain categories). A permanent appointment is granted after a satisfactory evaluation.
        
        • Article 115: The Executive Branch decrees all teacher and administrative staff appointments and promotions.
        
        • Article 173: To be appointed as a School Director or Deputy Director, candidates must have a university degree in a relevant specialization and at least five years of teaching experience.
    - - 2.2. Transfers
      - To request a transfer, teachers must meet these requirements (Article 54):
      - • Hold a permanent appointment and be actively teaching.
      - • Not be on leave, except for maternity leave or assigned administrative functions.
      - • Have not been transferred the previous year.
      - Types of transfers (Article 55):
        
        Due to low student enrollment
        
        By mutual consent
        
        As a disciplinary sanction
        
        Regular transfer
        
        • Article 61: Transfers as a sanction are applied when disciplinary actions meet the conditions set in Article 133 of the Education Law (Law 47 of 1946).
        
        • Article 66: Vacancies due to resignation, dismissal, retirement, or death during the school year are temporarily filled until a competitive transfer process takes place the following year.
        
        • Article 75: Directors and Deputy Directors can be transferred in exceptional cases due to:
        
        o Low student enrollment
        
        o Mutual consent
        
        o Disciplinary sanction
      - 2.3. Permanency
        
        Types of Appointments (Article 3, Law 47 of 1979):
        
        • Interim: Temporary appointment, usually replacing a teacher on leave (e.g., maternity leave). Can last over a year.
        
        • Probationary: A two-year appointment (four years for certain categories). If performance is satisfactory, the teacher gains permanency.
        
        • Permanent: Granted after completing the probation period or after serving as an interim for several years in a permanent position.
        
        2.4. Other Personnel Issues
        
        Legal, Professional, and Hiring Conditions
        
        • Public vs. Private Sector: Teachers in public schools are civil servants, while those in private institutions are not.
        
        • Article 267 (Law 47 of 1946, amended by Law 34 of 1995):
        
        o Teachers in teacher training centers must have a university degree and uphold professional ethics.
        
        • Article 270:
        
        o Panamanian teachers must be physically, mentally, and socially prepared.
        
        o They must demonstrate commitment to civic, ethical, moral, social, political, economic, religious, and cultural values.
        
        o Teachers should have a national identity with a global perspective, a sense of social justice, and scientific, creative, and critical thinking skills.
        
        o The minimum qualification required is post-secondary education. The Ministry of Education is working to enhance teacher training.
- - - - 3.3. Vacations and Licenses
        
        • Article 155: Maternity Leave
        
        o Teachers, directors, and deputy directors must take 10 weeks of leave before childbirth and 10 weeks after.
        
        o Other education employees must take six weeks before and eight weeks after childbirth.
        
        o The Social Security Fund covers part of the salary, while the Ministry of Education pays the remainder to ensure a full salary.
        
        3.4. Other Personnel Issues
        
        Teaching Career and Retirement System
        
        • Article 276 (Law 34 of 1995, amending Law 47 of 1946):
        
        o The teaching career system is regulated by law and involves teacher unions and the Ministry of Education.
        
        o It considers professional competency, social impact, ethics, and educational processes.
        
        o It is based on a merit system, in accordance with the Constitution of Panama.
        
        • Article 277:
        
        o Teachers and administrators can progress within the system based on their professional efficiency, academic achievements, teaching, and educational research.
        
        • Retirement System (Law No. 8 of 1997):
        
        o Established the Public Service Pension Savings and Capitalization System.
        
        o Requirements for teacher retirement:
        
         28 years of service
        
         A total of 336 contributions (12 per year)
        
         Completion of long-term economic benefits forms and MEDUC personnel action forms
        
         Submission of copies of ID card, social security card, and last paycheck stub
        
        • New Retirement Age Policy:
        
        o The current retirement system is under legislative review.
        
        o The proposed retirement ages are:
        
         52.5 years for women
        
         56 years for men
      - • Article 153: Teachers may take up to 15 days of paid leave per year for illness, mourning, or urgent matters.
      - o In the case of verified illness, teachers receive full salary for up to 30 consecutive days (including previous leave days).
      - o A maximum of 30 paid sick leave days per year is granted. The Executive Branch may approve unpaid sick leave for up to three months.
- - - - Public Spending Distribution
      - • 27% of the Ministry of Education’s income is allocated to middle and secondary schools to cover expenses and replace tuition fees.
      - • 73% of education funds are distributed based on:
      - o Government needs and obligations
      - o National policies and priorities
      - o Institutional capacity to execute educational programs
      - Budget Allocation Process
      - • Funds are approved by the Legislative Assembly and deposited into the National Treasury.
      - • The Ministry of Education transfers resources to other institutions automatically, without additional administrative procedures.
  - - - High dropout and failure rates:
      - o Many students enroll but fail to complete the academic year.
      - o First grade has the highest failure rate, which gradually declines until sixth grade, then rises significantly in seventh grade.
      - Low quality of education, caused by:
      - o Inadequate teacher training
      - o Outdated curricula and teaching methods
      - o Lack of educational research and innovation projects
    - - Educational Reform Goals (Agenda 2000-2004):
      - • Expanding democratic access to education with more participation and equity.
      - • Improving education quality to align with national demands.
      - • Strengthening the Ministry of Education to better meet the educational needs of society.