The Colombian government has called on everyone involved in higher education to nominate their representatives for in a nationwide reform process.
In a statement Tuesday, Education Minister Maria Fernanda Campo called on “students grouped on the National Student Board, on the principals, teachers of technical institutions… and universities public and private” to designate their spokespeople.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos threw out a previous bill to reform higher education earlier this month following mass student protests across the country. He promised to involve students and teachers in crafting new reform.
Campo said that after more than a month of student protests and closures to public universities, 90% of pupils have returned to class. Those remaining out of school will have to define their situation in university assemblies.
Some universities, such as the Industrial University of Santander and Pacifico, have decided to suspend the semester and return the first week of January, while the University of Antioquia is still deciding when to restart undergraduate programs.
The education minister also said that most universities will have classes until December 16, and will resume activities the first two weeks of January.
