Desafío Levantemos Chile is a foundation dedicated to addressing both natural and social emergencies. Today, after the devastating effects of the pandemic, our country is facing one of the most critical educational crises in decades. The data is alarming: Chile has fallen back ten years in terms of learning, and the educational gap has widened dramatically. Nationally, 96% of first-grade children cannot recognize letters; in fifth grade, 5 out of 10 do not understand what they read; and in the second year of high school, 9 out of 10 adolescents lack reading comprehension.
This is a silent educational emergency. Although Chile is seen as a developing country, thousands of children and adolescents are receiving an education that will not allow them to fully develop, perpetuating inequality.
In response, we created the Se Puede project, starting in La Araucanía, the region with the highest multifactorial poverty, limited access to basic services, and the largest Mapuche population—historically excluded from public policies.
The project is based on three pillars: recovery of basic learning, teacher development, and cultural inclusion. Its systemic approach aims to transform school management through autonomy, evidence, and continuous improvement.
Education is key to development, and Chile risks losing an entire generation. At Desafío, we face this challenge with urgency, but we need the State, private sector, and civil society to act. Change is possible—but only if we act now!
In practice, the Se Puede project materializes as a systemic and scalable model designed to address educational inequalities in vulnerable communities, especially in areas affected by natural emergencies or social marginalization, such as the Mapuche communities of La Araucanía. The solution integrates three key pillars:
1. Comprehensive Management: It combines local public policies, pedagogical management, and technology (attendance monitoring app and assessment platform).
2. Validated Methodologies: It uses proven programs such as Cada Día Cuenta (attendance), Mackenna and Stahl (literacy), and standardized assessments (ABECedeti) to measure comprehensive skills.
3. Concrete Results: After one year of implementation, the following were achieved:
o Attendance: Increased from 80% to 86.7%.
o Literacy: Improved from 30% to 82%.
o Reading Gap: The gap was reduced from 32% to 8.5%.
This innovation demonstrates that, through technology, empirical evidence, and local policies, it is possible to close educational gaps in historically excluded communities, such as the Mapuche, offering a replicable model for other regions in Chile.
The Se Puede project has been actively disseminated in the commune of Perquenco (La Araucanía) through social media, direct communication with school communities, and local authorities. Nationally, it has been featured in high-impact media and on the Desafío Levantemos Chile platforms, capturing the attention of the Ministry of Education, with whom we are working to replicate the model in vulnerable areas of the country.
Key Achievements (2024):
Attendance: Increased from 80% to 86.7%.
Literacy: Increased from 30% to 82%.
Reading Gap: Reduced from 32% to 8.5%.
2024-2028 Goals:
92% school attendance.
100% of first-grade students literate.
Eliminate the reading and math gap (0%).
70% of students with adequate learning in language and math.
The ultimate goal is to consolidate Se Puede as a scalable public policy, guaranteeing educational equity in Chile, especially in indigenous communities.
Key requirements: Commitment from the entire community (authorities, teachers, students, and families) to educational equity, especially in Indigenous contexts.
Implementation steps:
1. Define 4-year goals.
2. Align curriculum and assessments.
3. Motivate teachers with results.
4. Actively involve the community.
5. Believe that all students can learn.
You can contact Marcela Gutierrez for further information
Contact: mgutierrez@desafiochile.cl
