Tec and World Vision join forces to combat education gap in LATAM

The objective of the agreement signed by Tec de Monterrey and World Vision is to provide comprehensive solutions to the needs of the most vulnerable people, including children and adolescents, through educational programs for social development.

With a reach of 15 countries, the collaboration includes areas of support for educational systems, promoting the use of virtual technologies, and strengthening teaching skills for educating in vulnerable contexts.

The agreement has already started to operate with the implementation of a Diploma for Teacher Training in reading skills and the provision of access to the Tec’s Virtual Learning Center for more than 600 students from the regional Youth Ready program.

“Two organizations are joining forces with urgency and intelligence to address the large gaps the pandemic has created among children, particularly in our region of Latin America and the Caribbean.

“This agreement allows us to set an example for other organizations and institutions on how we can build collaboration together,” said Jorge Blando Martínez, Vice Rector of Continuing Education at Tecnológico de Monterrey.

Working together for education

The agreement seeks to support and strengthen the educational systems of the 15 participating countries, both at the basic level and in online and face-to-face formats.

“It’s very worrying to know that many children were literally pushed out of the educational system during the pandemic and have gaps in their reading and learning skills,” said Mishelle Mitchell, World Vision’s Regional Director of External Relations and Advocacy for Latin America and the Caribbean.

According to Mitchell, another objective is to promote the use of virtual technologies to expand coverage through the online programs and courses offered by the Tec’s Virtual Learning Center.

“Two organizations are joining forces with urgency and intelligence to address the large gaps the pandemic has created among children.” - Jorge Blando

She also mentioned that the agreement establishes the strengthening of teaching skills for educating in vulnerable contexts through the Training Trainers Program.

“This partnership with Tec de Monterrey means we can reach a thousand educators. We can also now directly and indirectly reach more than 90,000 children in their respective communities,” the World Vision representative said.

Other actions included in the agreement are the prevention of violence, development of vocational capacities and soft skills, and the promotion of educational content on topics such as research on educational advances, among others.

“This project is certainly going to require that Tecnológico de Monterrey and World Vision do a lot of advocacy work together with our educational authorities in the region,” Mitchell added.

Presentation of the agreement’s progress

The agreement is already bearing fruit, such as the pilot program of the Diploma for teacher training in reading skills.

“We already have a first enrollment of 325 teachers in four countries. God willing, we hope to have 1,500 more in February of next year.”

“It’ll be a process in which both organizations together will be able to make the necessary skills available to more teachers in order to bring reading and comprehension skills to children and get them back up to speed,” Mitchell said.

“It’s an honor for World Vision to have the opportunity to sign an agreement with an institution such as Tec de Monterrey.” - Miguel Ángel Laporta.

Jorge Blando said, “We’re pleased to start the online diploma course that will strengthen teaching skills in Latin America and the Caribbean with the aim of addressing the integrated reading skills of the most vulnerable children in our region.”

Additionally, more than 600 students from the regional Youth Ready program, which is for adolescents and young people in seven countries, already have access to the multiple skills provided by the Tec’s Virtual Learning Center.

“It’s an honor for World Vision to have the opportunity to sign an agreement with an institution such as Tec de Monterrey, which has led the way for education in Mexico for many years.

“There really couldn’t be any other leading institution we could sign this agreement with,” emphasized Miguel Ángel Laporta, National Director of World Vision Mexico.

The next steps in the partnership

Raúl Esparza Valencia, Senior Manager of Strategic Alliances at World Vision Mexico, mentioned some of the next projects they are seeking to promote at the regional level with Tecnológico de Monterrey.

“We want to promote different programs that are focused on the development of all digital skills and the reduction of the digital divide, and we want to continue being partners in the area of cooperation,” he added.

Some of the projects include developing models for young entrepreneurs, financial inclusion mechanisms, women’s empowerment, and working with organizations focused on children’s issues.

This regional agreement was signed by Miguel Ángel Laporta, National Director of World Vision Mexico, and Jorge Blando Martínez, Vice Rector of Continuing Education at Tecnológico de Monterrey.

The event took place at EGADE Business School on Monterrey campus and was broadcast on live.tec.mx.

“This project is certainly going to require that we do a lot of advocacy work together with our educational authorities in the region.” - Mishelle Mitchell.

 

World Vision

World Vision is an organization committed to working with vulnerable people, mainly children, so that they can enjoy full lives.

For more than 70 years, the organization has sought to implement projects that provide effective solutions to issues related to sustainable development, wellbeing, and protecting children.

Raúl Esparza Valencia, Senior Manager for Strategic Partnerships at World Vision Mexico, pointed out the importance of the collaborations they have had with Tecnológico de Monterrey.

“World Vision and Tec de Monterrey have had a pleasant and long-standing relationship. We’re training partners with the Tec in issues related to international cooperation and development.

“We’re not only partners in knowledge but also partners in values. We’ve participated together in different international calls for proposals with very good results,” he emphasized.

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