“Founded in 1957” the plaque says. That’s Liceo 12 Congreso de Tres Cruces for you. It is one of Montevideo’s pioneering secondary schools. Originally, Liceo 12 resided in a distinguished old house. It was located on Rivera and Alarcón streets. Decades later, this building on Ricaldoni Avenue was purpose-built. It was designed specifically as a high school.
Liceo 12 now has eleven classrooms. There are also three laboratories for Biology, Physics/Chemistry, and Computer Science. A Plastic Arts room and a library support creative exploration. An outdoor court allows for physical education. The facilities also include a canteen, a staff room, and workshop coordination offices. Administration offices, psychology offices, and a pedagogical advisor’s office are available. There is also a sexuality reference center, a social educator’s office, and a management team office.
In 2021, Liceo 12 had 600 students enrolled. The school offers courses from 1st to 3rd year of Basic Cycle and 1st year of Baccalaureate. That is from 4th year. Most students come from the surrounding neighborhood. Since 2018, there has been an increase in students. They are children of recent immigrants. Diverse Latin American stories now fill the halls. Different accents enrich the educational environment.
The establishment of Liceo 12 coincided with a rise in secondary education enrollment. This was particularly true for female students. Women made up 29% of Montevideo’s student population in 1955. Men accounted for 28%. By 1960, enrollment had grown. There were 19883 male students and 20431 female students in Montevideo.
An article from Liceo 12’s founding year highlighted issues. It was titled “Considerations on the Situation in Secondary Education.” It was written by the Student Center of the Artigas Teachers Institute. The article mentioned unresolved problems in secondary education. These included concerns about teacher selection. There was a lack of competitive examinations. This led to a loss of prestige for the teaching profession. There was also a lack of planned secondary education policies. These were needed to address societal changes. The 1950s and 60s were formative years for Liceo 12. Student activism emerged during this time. High schools became centers for civic-democratic education. They also opened doors to literature, science, and historical thinking.
Since 2018, Liceo 12 adopted the Extended Time model. This combines classroom learning with workshops and individualized support. In 2021, Liceo 12 offered workshops in Cinema and Plastic Arts. Karate, Photography, and Urban Farming workshops were available too. Students could participate in Sports and Recreation. There were also workshops in Performing Arts, Volunteering, and Student Participation. There are plans for a sports area for families.
So, Liceo 12 Congreso de Tres Cruces stands as a testament to educational evolution. It embraces diversity and community engagement. It creates an enriching environment for all.