The new contest is aimed at students who are enrolled this year in lower middle school, upper middle school, pre-kindergarten, or kindergarten at public or subsidized private schools in Chile. The main objective is to encourage consistent class attendance during the first semester, with a goal of achieving 90% or higher classroom attendance.
According to figures from the Undersecretariat of Early Childhood Education, the average annual attendance rate in 2025 reached 78.9 percent, showing improvement compared to previous years, but still indicating that a significant proportion of children do not attend daycare or preschool regularly. This situation has prompted various strategies to emphasize the importance of early childhood education.
In this fourth edition of the contest, 16 winners will be selected—one from each region of the country. Each winning child will travel with a parent or guardian on an all-expenses-paid trip for four days and three nights to an international space center. The specific destination will be confirmed shortly by the organization.
The foundation explained that this is a facility offering experiences designed specifically for early childhood, with educational activities related to science and space exploration.
Applications will be accepted through June 30 via the contest’s official website, where parents or guardians must complete the registration process.
The foundation’s executive director, María de la Luz González, emphasized that “Haz que Despeguen offers unprecedented recognition for early childhood education.” She also added that “rewarding attendance with an international experience of this caliber helps convey that early childhood education is a national priority.”
The organization is calling on families to stay informed and get involved, reinforcing their commitment to attendance starting in the early years of schooling.