The education in colonial Latin America was one of the key elements that justified the arrival and settlement of Europeans in the New World. The clergy and laity had a mission: to instill and promote Christian customs among the indigenous people.
In addition to religion, the natives and criollos were also trained to perform trades. Over the years, colleges were created, the founding of a center for higher studies for the study of humanities and philosophy was proposed, and the founding of universities was approved and proceeded.
The clergyman was responsible for education in Latin America in colonial times. Source: Alfredo Valenzuela Puelma
Religious education was imparted to men, women and children without any kind of distinctions. However, the educational process was presenting irregularities throughout its evolution. For example, with the founding of universities, the exclusion of the less privileged social classes was more clearly evidenced.
In addition to the socioeconomic factor as a determinant of the level of education to which one had access, gender also played an important role: women were excluded during the indoctrination process, and those who did not belong to high-class families were particularly affected.
Origin
From the arrival of the European colonizers to Latin America, a process of education and instruction began, which was one of the justifications for said colonization. For the Church and the Spanish rulers, colonization carried with it the purpose of transforming the inhabitants of the new lands into Christians.
The objective of the clergy was to teach the Latin American aborigines the customs practiced in Europe by the Christian community; Therefore, the education provided was not focused on academic aspects, but religious and training for trades that they could later perform.
After the arrival of the first Franciscan mission to Mexico in 1524, four communities were established with their pertinent convents, which were later used as open schools in which religious doctrine was taught.
These were so well used by the young people that the scene encouraged Church representatives to plan the opening of a college of higher studies. However, this initiative could not be carried out effectively.
In the mid-sixteenth century, Prince Felipe (future King of Spain) approved the founding of the universities of Mexico and Peru, and two years later the Royal University of Mexico opened its doors with the intention of sharing knowledge and maintaining orthodoxy. This limited it in terms of the level of openness towards new methods and innovations.
characteristics
The education provided in Latin America was never governed by any regulatory body or education plan. The clerics never had a clear figure to guide them through this process and this led to disorder, as well as the management of bureaucratic relationships that fostered a culture of domination.
In primary schools children were taught to read and write, without neglecting religious training. The education received by the indigenous people was aimed at teaching and training them to perform jobs that would serve them in the future, once they entered the labor market.
The process of education and indoctrination by the clergy and colonizers towards the natives was complicated, since there was not much disposition in any of the parts: at first the American aborigines refused to be taught and to discard their customs, and the colonizers had contempt for them.
This reluctant attitude on the part of the indigenous people is known as a culture of resistance. It did not imply that there was no interest in learning, since they had fought for that right. The concern was to be able to learn in a fair way, with equality and an advanced educational system that was not exclusive to the elite.
A clear example of inequity and injustice in the education sector was evidenced through the establishment of better structured schools, exclusively for the use of Creoles and peninsulares and not for aborigines. In fact, education was separated by race: for whites, creoles, mestizos, indigenous people, and blacks.
Who had access to education?
The education imparted to the natives just after the arrival of the colonizers to America was directed towards the teaching of trades and customs; For this reason, it was open to all equally, since it was convenient for the Spanish to have a skilled workforce dedicated to the work necessary for the development of the community.
However, only the children of the caciques or those who really stood out from the majority could aspire to a more advanced level of education.
After the university was founded, the number of students who attended it was very inconsistent; that is, in the same decade there could be classrooms with 30 students, as well as others with 150 students.
In general, the student population was very small, due to the high fees to pay that only those from the privileged classes could afford.
The condition of women
Women were largely ignored during the educational process. Any training they received, in addition to religious teachings, was aimed at forming women of the home, industrious and capable of doing housework, as well as educating their children in a good way. All of this was more accessible to the most privileged women.
Just to be able to attend a girls' school, protected by the bishops, applicants and their relatives were required to present a certificate of legitimacy and cleanliness of blood. However, the entrance to the convents of nuns was not so restricted.
Economic and social factors were limiting, and gender was limiting as well. Receiving a university education as a woman was very complicated, and you only had the opportunity if you were a woman of a high social class.
However, these impediments did not limit the active participation of women in religious activities, and those who did not dedicate themselves to housework - such as single mothers - were able to fend for themselves and learn trades on their own to be able to go out to work. and generate sufficient income for your livelihood.
References
- Gómez, A. (2010). Educational ideas and thoughts in Latin America: from colonial scholasticism to educational post-neoliberalism. Retrieved on August 3 from the Center for Educational Studies: cee.edu.mx
- Torrejano, R. (2010). Education at the end of the colonial period (1787-1806): between the useful and the useless. Retrieved on August 3 from EAFIT University Academic Magazines: publications.eafit.edu.co
- Jefferson, A., Lokken, P. (2011). Daily life in Colonial Latin America. Retrieved on August 3 from Zaccheus Onumba Dibiaezue Memorial Libraries: zodml.org
- (2012). 1551: The Royal University of Mexico is founded. Retrieved on August 3 from El Siglo de Torreón: elsiglodetorreon.com.mx
- García, B., Guerrero, F. (2014). The social condition of women and their education at the end of the Colony and the beginning of the Republic. Retrieved on August 3 from Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia: magazines.uptc.edu.co
- Wyer, S. (2018). Education of Cloistered Women in Colonial Latin America. Retrieved August 3 from Maryland Humanities: mdhumanities.org
- Gonzalbo, P. (sf). Colonial education. Retrieved on August 3 from the University of La Rioja: dialnet.unirioja.es