Designated as “Tomás Berreta” that is Escuela 179. This Montevideo school stands as a testament to Uruguay’s commitment to education.
For over 150 years Uruguay has championed free, compulsory and secular primary education. The public university is also free. This commitment shapes the nation. It fosters shared values. It promotes a cohesive society.
But did you know a typical school day here lasts only four hours? The school year begins in February or March. This might seem unusual. However, it is a system designed to maximize resources.
Escuela 179 and other public schools operate on this model. A morning shift runs from 8 am to noon with one set of teachers and students. Then an afternoon shift follows from 1 pm to 5 pm. This uses the same building and resources twice each day. Some secondary schools even run a third shift in the evening.
Imagine children out and about at 10 am. A visitor might wonder why they are not in school. But they might be attending the afternoon session. This system can surprise foreigners.
Uruguay’s curriculum aims to provide a well-rounded education. Primary school covers math science geography biology history and language skills. Specialized subjects such as English or music may be taught by other teachers.
Secondary school students study general subjects until year four. In their fifth year they choose a specialized area. These “orientations” traditionally reflect Uruguay’s societal needs. Options include humanities arts biology and science. Further specialization occurs in the sixth year. Students choose from medicine economics law engineering agronomy architecture and the arts. Curriculum changes are coming in 2025. The orientations will be reduced in number and renamed.
Technical schools called UTU offer vocational courses. These prepare students for practical work. Each UTU campus tailors programs to its location’s needs. For example there is dairy production in rural areas. Renewable energies are taught in the east. Chemistry and IT are taught near free trade zones.
There are no national exams in Uruguay. Instead teachers grade their students. This gives teachers freedom. They follow the curriculum. Yet they are not restricted by standardized testing. Primary school children receive report cards with grades like “Regular” to “Sobresaliente”. “Sobresaliente” means outstanding.
The school year runs from March to December. A typical year includes a tourism week break at Easter. There are winter holidays in July and a spring break in September.
Escuela 179 helps the country pursue armonic integration. It does this through work culture entertainment health respect for the environment and responsible citizenship. These are essential for sustainable development.
The school promotes tolerance human rights peace and understanding among people. Escuela 179 embraces the principles of learning to know learning to do learning to be and learning to live together.