The Venezuelan Revolution and the University for all

By Ray Smith

One of the fields where the Bolivarian Revolution has advanced is education. The Chavez government has created the “Mision Robinson” which has virtually eliminated adult illiteracy by bringing this literacy program to up to one million Venezuelans.

However, the efforts of the Revolution to extend culture and education do not stop once the individual can read and write. In order to extend higher education to those layers of the population who have been historically excluded from University studies, the Venezuelan government created the “Mision Sucre”. Its goal is to provide university education to anyone who wants to study. In order to fulfil this titanic task the government has hired more academics and opened more universities.

Since 1998 four new universities have been opened in Venezuela. The first was the Maritime University of the Caribbean. Following that was the creation of the Armed Forces University that provides university studies to the troops. The third one was the Universidad Sur del Lago in Maracaibo. However, the university that really captures the imagination of the people in Venezuela and all over the world is the Bolivarian University of Venezuela (UBV).

The UBV is a university completely different from the rest. The UBV community does not speak about subjects, faculties or use other usual academic language. Another feature is that the majority of the students come from a poor background with serious economic impediments to reach University.

The UBV was created on July 1, 2003. The philosophy that inspires this university is the “entire formation of the student, basing this formation on a dual relationship of learning altogether. Through the permanent dialogue of the students and the professors, the students and the communities and the students between themselves we will create a culture of cooperation and shared learning” (Francisco Perez, UBV Communication Director and professor). In order to fulfil this target the three main disciplines are environmental management, social management and social communication (including journalism and mass media). Other more traditional studies such as medicine, law, IT studies and architecture are also offered at the UBV.

However, all studies are always focused in the communities. In practice it means that all theses, academic research, experiments and essays push the students to go to the poor neighbourhoods and interact with the inhabitants of these areas. This progressive academic requirement reminds the students of where they come from and that university is a place to educate professionals at the service of the people and not for the creation of an elite which raises itself above the rest of society.

The Bolivarian University takes the issue of bringing university studies to those traditionally excluded very seriously. 77% of UBV students come from poor backgrounds and 17% come from the lower middle class (UBV sources). The UBV acknowledges extra-educational problems that the students have, such as family problems, violence, drugs and all other social problems related with poverty and misery - something the majority of Latin America is suffering. In order to reduce this problem the UBV has created an entire department that works with professors and students to analyse potential problems. Other measures that help the students to carry on with their education are health services, meals and transport provided by the University. The other department that is quite popular amongst the students is the “Sports Department” which gives all students the opportunity to practice sports when in university.

The role of the professors is also quite different from traditional universities. Professors at the UBV are real motivators for the students to learn. They also reject the “division of labour” amongst professors into those who teach and those who research. Both activities are seen as complementary and are duties for all professors. Another detail that gets the attention of people used to the traditional university system is how young the professors are. The youth are key for the development of the Venezuelan Revolution and the UBV has acknowledged this.

It is not an accident that the hierarchy of the traditional universities, historically linked to the local oligarchy, have strongly attacked the UBV. They see the UBV as something dangerous. They do indeed have reason to be afraid of the UBV. Simon Bolivar once said that “a wise people is a tool for its own liberation, redemption, life and future”. The economic and political rule of the oligarchy was partly based upon the illiteracy of the 80% of Venezuelans below line of poverty.

Since the very beginning the UBV has been linked to the unfolding revolutionary process in Venezuela, especially with the struggle against the oil lockout at PDVSA (state owned oil company). When the lockout was defeated by the spontaneous but disciplined action of the oil workers and their communities, the government found several office buildings completely furnished that had remained idle. These buildings were the playhouses of PDVSA management who misused them. These colossal buildings became the campuses for the new university in Caracas. But this is not the only contribution coming from PDVSA to the UBV, part of the revenue coming from the oil is invested in the Bolivarian University.

In only one year the UBV has managed to integrate 17,962 students from poor backgrounds into higher education (UBV Press, 28/09/04). This is an achievement of the Venezuelan Revolution and an inspiration for youth and workers all over the world. However, if the Venezuelan students from poor backgrounds want to keep the UBV and develop it further they have to reinforce the Venezuelan Revolution. On a capitalist basis it is not possible to keep great successes like the UBV forever. The Venezuelan Revolution must push aside its enemies and finish the task of creating a new society with no classes nor privileges for a tiny minority, a society that can actually ensure university education and other social services for all.

http://www.handsoffvenezuela.org/articles/venezuelan_revolution_and_the_univ_for_all.html