Rationale of the law
The objective of the Organic Education Law is to establish principles, values, rights and duties in the field of education. These reflect the principles of the constitution and the humanistic ethical values necessary for social transformation. The law applies to natural and juridical persons, institutions and official educational centres on national, state and municipal levels as well as decentralized entities and private educational institutions.
Concept of lifelong learning
The law does not provide a definition of lifelong learning, but the concept is cited also as one of the fundamental principles of university education. In addition to basic and university education, continuing education is promoted in the law. The education system integrates policies and services that guarantee continuing education for all citizens regardless of their age and promote ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity.
Main regulations
The law refers to educational sectors from preschool to higher education and continuing education for teachers. The following actors are defined as co-responsible for education:
- Families: have duties, rights and responsibilities with regard to forming the principles, values, beliefs and habits of children, adolescents and adults
- Community organizations: must contribute to citizens’ education in order to support the creation of a socially responsible civil society
- School leadership
- Educational community: includes students, teachers, administrative staff and other representatives of the education system
- Student organizations
- Public and private educational organizations
The following issues regarding the education system are regulated by the law:
- Organization of the education system: the education system includes basic education (preschool, primary and secondary education), university education and continuing education
- Modalities of the education system: adult education, intercultural education, arts education, rural education, military education and special education
- Principles of university education including autonomy and academic freedom
- Educational infrastructure: the construction of educational institutions must comply with legal specifications
Education and career development for teachers include the following issues:
- Teacher education and continuing education for teachers: continuing education is a process aimed at enhancing the knowledge of those responsible for the education of citizens. Continuing education should ensure the development of a strong, critical, reflective and participative society as well as social transformation
- Continuing education policy: the state designs, administrates and monitors continuing education for the educational community
- Career development for teachers and regulations for retirement
Administration and regulation of education cover the following issues:
- Educational monitoring and evaluation: evaluation should be democratic, participatory, continuous, holistic, cooperative, systematic, qualitative and quantitative, diagnostic, flexible and accumulative
- Institutional evaluation
- Certificates and titles
- Equivalence of studies and recognition of prior studies in foreign countries
Financing of education:
- The state guarantees an annual investment in the construction, expansion, renovation and maintenance of school buildings as well as in services, equipment, tools, machines, and technology
Relevant documents that the law refers to:
- Venezuela. Presidente de la República. 2012. Ley Orgánica del Trabajo, los Trabajadores y las Trabajadoras
- Venezuela. National Constituent Assembly. Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Stakeholders involved in the development of the law:
- National Assembly of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (in Spanish language)
Issuing Body
National Assembly of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
