Benefits of private education in forum at the UFM

Giancarlo Ibárgüen S., UFM’s President; Verónica Spross; María del Carmen Aceña and Ramón Parellada; during the froum on education for the poor

The benefits of private education, for the poor, was the theme of the dialogue celebrated at the Milton Friedman Auditorium of Universidad Francisco Marroquín, last March 15 of 2007.

The participants were the Minister of Education, María del Carmen Aceña; the director of the Centro de Investigaciones Económicas Nacionales, Verónica Spross; and the director of the Centro de Estudios Económico Sociales, Ramón Parellada; with the moderation of UFM’s President, Giancarlo Ibárgüen S.

The discussion turned around the investigations of James Tooley and Pauline Dixon on the beneficial effects of private education, for the poor, in places like Nigeria, India and China.  They also discussed the applicability, contrasts and comparisons of the educational situations of those countries and Guatemala.

Tooley is professor of Education Policies at the Newcastle University; and Dixon is coordinator of international investigation at the E.G. West Center of the Education Scholl of Newcastle University.

As an introduction the participants watched a video of Toole and the case of Nigeria; and all of the assistants were given a copy of the book by Tooley and Dixon titled Private Education if beneficial for the poor, a study on private schools for poor countries.