Minister: education councils aim to bring up "the new citizen" in Venezuela

Resolution 058 of the Venezuelan Ministry of Education provides for the establishment of education councils in the basic education subsystem. Such councils intend to bring up "a new citizenship," which involves providing "integral education for the new man and woman, for the new republican," according to Venezuelan Minister of Education Maryann Hanson.

She remarked that the proposal to create education councils was subject to consultations in three different occasions since 1998. Further, she said, it has been revised and approved by President Hugo Chávez. Therefore, claims stating that the measure was imposed are not valid, she added.

She admitted that communal councils would be allowed to take part in education councils; however, the minister denied that communal councils were a representation of pro-government ruling party United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

Hanson stressed that disagreements over the implementation of education councils were due to the fact that previous administrations fostered representative democracy, whereas the current government boosts participatory democracy. "This model (education councils) is based on participatory democracy, pursuant to constitutional principles," the minister said.