The Argentinian school empowering breaking down barriers for isolated rural students
Escuela Media Gobernador Piedrabuena, a public secondary school in Piedrabuena, Tucuman, Argentina, is carving a pathway for isolated rural students to complete their secondary studies and move past the geographical limitations of the region with its Project-Based Learning (PBL) education model. Historically, students in the isolated and vulnerable Tucumán region would not complete secondary school; those who did were overage due to the interrupted nature of their education. With a population primarily dedicated to farming, many students must work the fields with their families, leaving them little time for study. With schools being the primary access points of knowledge and social development, integrating students from differing cultural realities collaboratively to ensure completion was a critical challenge the school was determined to address.
Through its PBL education model, the school supports the integration of students from scattered locations and different cultural realities. By encouraging interaction through collaboration on projects, it successfully breaks down cultural divides to create an environment of inclusivity. Students are empowered to become protagonists of their own educational process while actively participating in projects that are relevant to their personal circumstances and the wellbeing of their local communities like gender equity, fighting gender-based violence, and even issues around cybersecurity.
With every person at the school being given the opportunity to be a protagonist: teachers, students and the local community included, students have been given a space to discover their talents. Enrolment has grown from just 67 students, many of whom were older than expected for their grade, to 200, none of whom are over-aged. Students have developed projects that have contributed to the community’s heritage and had an impact on the environment in terms of the conservation of the region’s native flora. One particularly innovative project was the development of a fully functional radio station where students produce the content with skills developed through the programme.
The school has a 78% pass rate, with a literacy rate of 90% - a significant figure considering the rural context where, in many cases, these students are the only literate ones in their homes. 98% of students begin and finish their studies at the school, and 70% of students, at the end of the sixth year of secondary education, are clear about what higher education they will study.
At Escuela Media Gobernador Piedrabuena, students feel enriched, valued and connected to the community through education that empowers them to discover their unique talents, find their own solutions, and leave better prepared for the future.
