The signing of the partnership agreement and the first meeting of educational teams and administrators marked the beginning of the collaboration between the Oportunidad Educational Foundation and the Costa Araucanía SLEP, which will work together starting this year to improve access to early childhood education in the region.
The partnership will be implemented in 28 schools in the municipalities of Nueva Imperial, Carahue, Toltén, Saavedra, and Teodoro Schmidt, benefiting more than 760 children. The goal of the initiative will be to implement strategies that strengthen regular school attendance during children’s early years—a critical stage in their development. Evidence has shown that sustained attendance in early childhood education directly impacts the foundations of preschoolers’ future learning.
The project officially kicked off on April 8, during an event that brought together directors and professionals from the participating institutions, marking the start of a two-year support process.
María de la Luz González, executive director of the Oportunidad Educational Foundation, emphasized that “this collaborative effort aims to build capacity within educational teams to sustain attendance over time, recognizing that it is not merely a statistic but a key factor in ensuring that educational journeys begin on a solid foundation.”
He added that “ensuring that girls and boys attend school regularly starting in preschool is essential, because that is what makes learning possible.”
Meanwhile, Raúl Adonis, acting executive director of SLEP Costa Araucanía, said, “The significance of this agreement with Fundación Educacional Oportunidad lies in the fact that we will have significant support to address class attendance among students in the transitional grades. It is crucial that preschool and kindergarten children attend class regularly, because during this period they begin to develop learning skills that will stay with them throughout their educational journey.”
Through this partnership, both organizations are working to make early childhood education a priority, focusing on early interventions that will improve children’s educational trajectories.