OAS Department of Human Development

Professional Development Scholarship Program

“Regional Preparatory Conference (Latin America and Caribbean) “From Literacy to Lifelong Learning:

Towards the Challenges of the 21st Century”

                                                                                                                                                                                    OAS/DHD/CIR.028/2008

1. Location of Study: National Institute for Adult Education (INEA) with the support of the General Direction of International Relations. Address: Francisco Márquez 160, Col. Condesa, Delegación Cuauhtémoc, CP 06140, México, DF. México, TEL. (52-55) 5241-2731; Fax (52-55) 5421-2990

2. Administrators of the course:

The Secretariat of Public Education of Mexico

· Lic Samuel Bourdeau, Director of Multilateral Relations of the Secretary of Public Education of Mexico.

· Lis. Cesar Guerrero Arellano, Deputy Director of Multilateral Cooperation, General Direction of International Relations, Secretariat of Public Education, Tel (52-55) 3601-6964

· OAS Mexico: Ambassador Oscar Maurtua de la Romana, Representative of the OAS in Mexico

· Department of Education and Culture of the OAS;

· Lenore Yaffee Garcia, Director Email: [email protected]

· Gaby Fujimoto, Senior Education Specialist Te. 202-458-6228, Fax 202-458-3167, email: [email protected]

3. Modality: Onsite

4. Beginning and End Dates: September 10 – 13, 2008

5. Duration of course: Four (4) days

6. Language: Spanish with simultaneous interpretation

7. Objectives:

· To train national directors of adult education through their participation in “Challenges of Literacy and Life-long learning in Latin America and Caribbean: Constructing Alliances and Promoting and Innovative Focus”, the UNESCO Regional Conference in support of literacy throughout the world, with the goal of supporting the design of educational, innovative and quality policies and programs in adult education and literacy in their countries.

· Prepare and disseminating the information obtained from the countries, updated bibliographies, specialized literature on literacy program and methods.

· Identifying and analyzing policies, programs, achievements and challenges regarding literacy.

· Work groups to propose answers to the political character- including actions, strategies- to support he development of interventions sin adult and literacy education in the countries.

· Mobilize partnerships and resources for concrete interventions en each country building cooperation between and with allies.

· Strengthening a continuing expert network to exchange experiences on the topic of literacy and adult education

8. Content:

· Literacy, educational inclusion, and social equity in Latin America and the Caribbean.

· Public policies, the right to education, content, commitments, citizenship, challenges and cultural diversity

· Conceptualization of literacy; Advances and imitations of the governments in relation to public policies and programs; tendencies of the policies, processes and criteria of focus in attending to equity and coverage; existence of normative frameworks and policies of equity and social inclusion that consider the particularities of gender, ethnicity and geographic location; lack of legislation; criteria that can be used to organize systems of information, monitoring, follow-up, and evaluation

· Laws or norms that facilitate the participation, implementation, functioning, and resources for literacy programs. Financing of the literacy policies as a system.

· Lines of public policy: economic or fiscal policy; teacher training, monitoring and evaluation of literacy programs, accountability, articulation of State-civil society, research. Linking literacy with basic education (sustainability).

· Policies of curriculum, follow-up, monitoring, evaluation, training, and financing literacy programs that are support by research.

· Demonstration of experiences in which continuity and articulation are guaranteed with the constant education and sustainability of programs. Opportunities benefitting a literate environment.

· Lessons learned, challenges, and failures.

9. Requirements:

· Must be a citizen or permanent resident of one of the OAS member States, with the exception of Mexico being the host country.

· Present a letter from the Minister or the highest government authority authorizing your participation as a representative of your government

· Work at the national level, preferably national director, or supervisor responsible for training/educating teachers, especially those teachers of adults or literacy.

· Demonstrate experience no less than five years in adult education or literacy and have worked with those responsible for national policies of education, labor or another sector or institution.

· Present a report on your participation at the end of the event

· Comprehension in Spanish and English

· Submit a complete application before the due date established by the respective National Liaison Office[1]. It is the responsibility of each candidate to find out the final date designated by the National Liaison Office in their country of residence.

10. Benefits:

· The Department of Human Development of the OAS provides round-trip airline tickets (economy class) between to country of origin and the location of the course[2].

· The Department of Education and Culture of the OAS will cover: Lodging and meals, internal transport, health and accident insurance for the duration of the course, which will be coordinated with those in charge of the conference in Mexico.

11. Responsibilities of selected candidates:

· Selected scholarship recipients are responsible for obtaining the necessary visa(s) to enter the country of study and the corresponding transit(s). The OAS will not be responsible for any costs relating to obtaining visas or transfer documentation.

· Each scholarship recipient is responsible for arriving in time for the commencement of activities on the date established by the institution offering the course or program.

· The selected candidates must confirm their acceptance to the OAS Department of Human Development in Washington, DC., through the OAS country office in their respective countries and through the ONE in order for the OAS to proceed with making the necessary travel arrangements to purchase the air travel tickets, economy class, round-trip, between their country of origin and the study location or, if the scholarship is refused, to appoint another candidate.

· If the scholarship recipient fails to travel on the scheduled dates, or changes routes, after the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (GS/OAS) has purchased his/her travel ticket, he/she will be responsible for paying the difference in ticket costs in order to arrive at the course site in time. The scholarship recipient will furthermore have to reimburse the GS/OAS the total cost of the airfare for his/her travel from his/her country of residence to the site where the Professional Development Course will take place and back if, after the ticket has been purchased, he/she declines the scholarship without written authorization from the Department of Human Development. The latter includes any additional costs, if any, incurred by the GS/OAS, such as extra costs for accommodation during the scholarship recipient’s travel to and from the country where the course will be held.

· If the scholarship recipient renounces, cancels or otherwise terminates the scholarship after the scholarship has begun, without showing sufficient cause to the GS/OAS, he/she will have to reimburse GS/OAS the amount of all scholarship expenses spent on his/her behalf.

12. Presentation of candidacies: The online application form must be completed on-line and can be accessed at: http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/oasbecas/onsite.aspx?culture=en&navid=282

Once the applicant has completed the online application form and submitted it, a copy will be sent automatically to his/her e-mail account. This completed form must be printed, signed and submitted to the National Liaison Office (ONE) with all other forms (http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/oasbecas/formspd.aspx?culture=en&navid=282) that must be completed electronically or in typewritten format.

The following is the list of National Liaison Organizations (ONEs) in the OAS Member states: http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/oasbecas/ones.aspx?culture=en&navid=282

Please note that the official announcement is published in the language of instruction of the course and is available via the Educational Portal of the Americas Web page at: http://www.educoea.org.

Any questions regarding submission of applications for this course should be sent to: [email protected]

IMPORTANT NOTICE: THESE SCHOLARSHIPS ARE SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS CORRESPONDING TO THE 2008 REGULAR BUDGET

Maria Levens, Director

Department of Human Development