The Major Project of Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (1980-2000)
PRELAC spawns from the Major Project of Education in Latin America and the Caribbean, an initiative that preceded the World Conference on Education for All (Jomtien) by ten years, and shepherded the education policies of Latin America and the Caribbean for two decades.
The Major Project of Education, approved in 1980 at the 21st meeting of UNESCO’s General Conference and programmed to last through the year 2000, was the result of the collective resolve of participating countries to meet by the year 2000 the following objectives:
a) Eight to ten years' minimum schooling for all children of school age;
b) Eradication of illiteracy and expansion of educational facilities for adults;
c) Improving the quality and efficiency of educational systems and education in general, through the implementation of necessary reforms and effective systems designed for measuring learning.
The year 2000 marks the final days of the Major Project. At the request of participants to the Sixth Conference of Ministers of Education of Latin America and the Caribbean (Kingston, Jamaica, 1996), a final assessment of the Project was conducted and presented five years later at the Seventh Conference of Ministers of Education (Cochabamba, Bolivia, March 2001), along with an analysis of education prospects for the region. The countries requested UNESCO to give continuity to the project in order to advance towards improving the quality of education in the region.
Declarations and recommendations:
PROMEDLAC VII
Cochabamba, Bolivia, 5 – 7 March 2001
o The Cochabamba Declaration and Recommendations on Education Policies at the Dawn of the 21st Century (in Spanish)
PROMEDLAC VI and MINEDLAC VII
Kingston, Jamaica, 13-17 May 1996
o Kingston Recommendation: Education, Democracy, Peace and Development
PROMEDLAC V
Santiago, Chile, 8-11 June 1993
o The Santiago Declaration (in Spanish)
o Santiago Recommendation for the implementation of the Major Project of Education (1993-1996) (in Spanish)
PROMEDLAC IV
Quito, Ecuador, 22-25 April 1991
o The Quito Declaration (in Spanish)
o Quito Recommendation for the implementation of MPE National Action Plans (1990-1995) (in Spanish)
PROMEDLAC III
Guatemala City, 26-30 June 1989
o The Guatemala Declaration (in Spanish)
o Guatemala Recommendation relative to the Second Regional Plan of Action of the Major Project of Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (in Spanish)
PROMEDLAC II
Bogota, Colombia, Colombia, 24-28 March 1987
o The Bogota Declaration (in Spanish)
o Bogota Recommendations on action priorities for the 1987-1989 period in the framework of the major Project (in Spanish)
PROMEDLAC I
Mexico City, 5-9 November 1984
o Mexico City Recommendation (in Spanish)
Meeting of the Interim Intergovernmental Regional Committee for the Major Project in the Field of Education in Latin America and the Caribbean
Saint Lucia, 12-17 July 1982
o Saint Lucia Recommendation (in Spanish)
Intergovernmental Regional Meeting on objectives, strategies and lines of action of a major project in the Field of Education in Latin America and the Caribbean
Quito, 6-10 April 1981
o Quito Recommendation (in Spanish)
Regional Conference of Ministers of Education and Ministers responsible for Planning and Economic Matters of Latin America and the Caribbean Member States
Mexico, 4-13 December 1979
o The Mexico City Declaration (in Spanish)
