Venezuelan+Education

__**Educa ****tion in Venezuela **__ by: Anjali



History: Compared to other parts of the Spanish Empire, education in colonial Venezuela was neglected. This is because the other parts of the Spanish Empire were of greater economic interest. In 1721, Venezuela's first university, now the Central University of Venezuela, was established. Education was limited, and wealthy families had the upper hand; they would learn through private tutors, travel, and works banned by the Empire. In 1880, a decree established free and compulsory education for ages 7-14.

SOS Schools: There are schools all around the world called "SOS Schools" which are schools for orphan children. Venezuela is proud to be the host of an SOS School.

Venezuelan Education: Education in Venezuela is still developing. In 2010, Venezuela ranked 59 out of  128 countries on UNESCO's Education for all Development Index. Nine years of education are mandatory, from ages 6 - 15, and the school year extends from September to June - July. Basic education for children from ages 6-15 is free. Public school students usually attend classes in shifts: some go to school from early in the morning until 1:30 pm while others attend from early afternoon until about 6:00 pm. All school children wear uniforms. Of Venezuelans aged 15 and older, 95% can read and write, which is one of the highest literacy rates in the region. **Around age 14 - 15 while in 9th grade students must choose between following either humanities or sciences. **

Universities in Venezuela: The universities in Venezuela attract a large number of international students and offer the best facilities to students. Leading private institutions are the Andrés Bello Catholic University (1953), Santa María University (1953), and the Metropolitan University of Caracas (1970). **Some of the important Venezuela universities are University of Venezuela, Santa Maria University, Simon Bolivar University, University of Caracas, Los Andes University, Open University, and Andres Bello Catholic University. **<span style="color: #ffa700; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%; line-height: 1.5;">There are over 100 institutions of higher learning where students pursue at least 180 different fields or professions. Millions of students are enrolled for free. As of 1998, all universities had a combined enrollment that exceeded 300,000, representing a 40% increase over the last decade. After completion of college students <span style="color: #faa700; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%; line-height: 23px;">receive <span style="color: #ffa700; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%; line-height: 1.5;"> the title of either "Bachiller en Ciencias" or "Bachiller en Humanidades."