Education and Schools in Argentina
Though the government is committed to providing every child with an education and the national literacy rate is high, expats may find that schools in Argentina can be trigger points of frustration and stress. The nation has an extensive public school system; private and international schools can be found in the larger cities; and private religious institutions can be found in the small towns.
Expats can take advantage of free education in Argentina, but children attending local schools WILL learn to speak Spanish, as English teachers can be a rarity, especially in the more rural areas.
Little in the way of support systems exist for expats who speak a different language, thus parents should carefully consider just how difficult a challenge this will prove for their kids.
The teaching style in Argentina is ‘learning by rote’. This means the teacher will write on the blackboard and students will copy the notes into a ‘carpeta’ (one ring binder file for all subjects). The neatness and accuracy of their copying will be marked and then three times a year a series of exams, testing the student solely on the contents of the ‘carpeta’, will be taken.
In all the subjects the exam pass rate is 7 out of 10. Students who do not pass their exams in every subject at the end of the school year will be kept back to repeat the year.
If you are bringing your child into Argentina from another country, and thus a different education system, you will need to provide previous school reports. Based on these it will be decided which EGB year your child should attend. In some cases it may be necessary to take an ‘entrance’ exam in Spanish in order to ascertain the correct level.
Often expat children are ahead of the commensurate level in Argentina.
All school documentation will have to be translated into Spanish by a court certified translator.
Argentina has a system of mandatory education known as Educacion General Basica (Basic General Education and is divided into three stages, called ciclos ("cycles").
Secondary education in Argentina is called Polimodal ("polymodal", which means multiple modes), because students can, to a certain extent, choose their subjects.
Polimodal is usually three years, although some schools require four years. Students were not obliged to complete the Polimodal stage until 2007 when the law was changed. It was, and is, a requirement if a student wishes to go on to higher education. The mandatory period of schooling has increased to 13 years.
Non-attendance at school is supposed to be followed up by education inspectors, but in reality this rarely happens. There are evening schools that students over 18 can attend if they do want to finish their education and complete their polimodal; these are usually evening classes running from 8pm in the evening until midnight.
Having said that, the system of education is difficult to come to terms with if you are a foreigner. By and large the teaching style is outdated and cumbersome. Although free schooling is provided for all children (home schooling is not an option), resources are stretched.
Due to limited facilities, school time has to be shared; the youngest children usually attend school in the mornings, older children in the afternoons. School hours are usually from 7.40am until 1pm, and then 1pm until 6pm or 7pm, or any variation in between!
Public or ‘normale’ schools are underfunded; there is no physical or religious education, or anything akin to art or drama. To obtain any sort of education in these subjects the child would either have to attend a fee paying school, or apply for one of the Centro Polivalente de Artes schools.
There is usually one of these in each large town, but again, they are very oversubscribed because they offer art, ceramics, dance and music as well as the main subjects. Furthermore, because they fit in more subjects, the school day is a lot longer - usually 7.30am until 7pm in the evening.
There are no school uniforms in any schools other than a white coat, similar to a laboratory coat that the students wear over their everyday clothes. The Artes schools usually have a school t-shirt and/or sweatshirt with the school logo, rather than the white coat.
No child needs to travel more than a couple of miles in order to attend school - out in the provinces, most families do not have cars so children go to school by bus, bicycle and many by foot.
The school year starts in early March and finishes in mid December. There are no ‘half terms’ but there is a two week winter holiday in July.
The big cities such as Cordoba, Buenos Aires, etc. are slightly different as there you will find international schools ; these usually have lessons in English and Spanish and follow a slightly different curriculum (International IGCSE examinations and International Baccalaureate diploma), and a school uniform is usual.
Smaller provincial towns do also have private, fee paying schools (no international schools) but these are Catholic church funded institutions. They do offer physical education, of sorts and of course religious (Catholic) instruction. In addition students normally wear a formal school uniform.
In all schools, private or normale, books, pencils, etc. are not provided.
University education is free for those attending state universities; private universities do charge tuition fees and these vary depending on the institution.
Argentine universities have a high percentage of part-time students as many students have to hold down a job to survive, as well as study.
For this reason, degrees can take five years or more to complete.
Foreign students may apply to an Argentinean University, but will have to pay fees and also obtain a student visa.
Expats can take advantage of free education in Argentina, but children attending local schools WILL learn to speak Spanish, as English teachers can be a rarity, especially in the more rural areas.Little in the way of support systems exist for expats who speak a different language, thus parents should carefully consider just how difficult a challenge this will prove for their kids.
The teaching style in Argentina is ‘learning by rote’. This means the teacher will write on the blackboard and students will copy the notes into a ‘carpeta’ (one ring binder file for all subjects). The neatness and accuracy of their copying will be marked and then three times a year a series of exams, testing the student solely on the contents of the ‘carpeta’, will be taken.
In all the subjects the exam pass rate is 7 out of 10. Students who do not pass their exams in every subject at the end of the school year will be kept back to repeat the year.
If you are bringing your child into Argentina from another country, and thus a different education system, you will need to provide previous school reports. Based on these it will be decided which EGB year your child should attend. In some cases it may be necessary to take an ‘entrance’ exam in Spanish in order to ascertain the correct level.
Often expat children are ahead of the commensurate level in Argentina.
All school documentation will have to be translated into Spanish by a court certified translator.
Public education in Argentina
Argentina has a system of mandatory education known as Educacion General Basica (Basic General Education and is divided into three stages, called ciclos ("cycles").
- EGB I: 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade
- EGB II: 4th, 5th and 6th grade
- EGB III: 7th, 8th and 9th grade
Secondary education in Argentina is called Polimodal ("polymodal", which means multiple modes), because students can, to a certain extent, choose their subjects.
Polimodal is usually three years, although some schools require four years. Students were not obliged to complete the Polimodal stage until 2007 when the law was changed. It was, and is, a requirement if a student wishes to go on to higher education. The mandatory period of schooling has increased to 13 years.
Non-attendance at school is supposed to be followed up by education inspectors, but in reality this rarely happens. There are evening schools that students over 18 can attend if they do want to finish their education and complete their polimodal; these are usually evening classes running from 8pm in the evening until midnight.
Public schools for expat children
Having said that, the system of education is difficult to come to terms with if you are a foreigner. By and large the teaching style is outdated and cumbersome. Although free schooling is provided for all children (home schooling is not an option), resources are stretched.
Due to limited facilities, school time has to be shared; the youngest children usually attend school in the mornings, older children in the afternoons. School hours are usually from 7.40am until 1pm, and then 1pm until 6pm or 7pm, or any variation in between!Public or ‘normale’ schools are underfunded; there is no physical or religious education, or anything akin to art or drama. To obtain any sort of education in these subjects the child would either have to attend a fee paying school, or apply for one of the Centro Polivalente de Artes schools.
There is usually one of these in each large town, but again, they are very oversubscribed because they offer art, ceramics, dance and music as well as the main subjects. Furthermore, because they fit in more subjects, the school day is a lot longer - usually 7.30am until 7pm in the evening.
There are no school uniforms in any schools other than a white coat, similar to a laboratory coat that the students wear over their everyday clothes. The Artes schools usually have a school t-shirt and/or sweatshirt with the school logo, rather than the white coat.
No child needs to travel more than a couple of miles in order to attend school - out in the provinces, most families do not have cars so children go to school by bus, bicycle and many by foot.
The school year starts in early March and finishes in mid December. There are no ‘half terms’ but there is a two week winter holiday in July.
Private and international schools in Argentina
The big cities such as Cordoba, Buenos Aires, etc. are slightly different as there you will find international schools ; these usually have lessons in English and Spanish and follow a slightly different curriculum (International IGCSE examinations and International Baccalaureate diploma), and a school uniform is usual.
Smaller provincial towns do also have private, fee paying schools (no international schools) but these are Catholic church funded institutions. They do offer physical education, of sorts and of course religious (Catholic) instruction. In addition students normally wear a formal school uniform.
In all schools, private or normale, books, pencils, etc. are not provided.
University education in Argentina
University education is free for those attending state universities; private universities do charge tuition fees and these vary depending on the institution.
Argentine universities have a high percentage of part-time students as many students have to hold down a job to survive, as well as study.
For this reason, degrees can take five years or more to complete.
Foreign students may apply to an Argentinean University, but will have to pay fees and also obtain a student visa.
