Today’s world is becoming increasingly reliant on technology.  As this trend shows no sign of slowing down, many of today’s youth will find themselves at a disadvantage without a basic knowledge of computers.  Aimed at remedying this situation, the program Computadores Para Educar (CPE) began in the year 2000 with the dual purpose of providing schools across Colombia with access to technology and promoting its use as a significant learning tool in the education process.  CPE distributes the computers among thousands of schools, primarily in rural areas with restricted access to technology.  In the program’s model, not only the students, but the teachers as well, have the opportunity to learn about and benefit from the use of computers.

Operates in three main stages.  In the first stage, computers are donated from both the public sector and private businesses. These computers are then reconditioned and distributed to various schools throughout the country.  In the second stage, delegates from CPE maintain a presence in the schools for a period of four months offering educational support to the teachers in order to better acquaint them with the computers as well as providing them with ideas of how to incorporate their use into the teachers’ education methodology.  The final stage is the 12-month educational component in which the use of the technology is implemented into the schools’ teaching and learning processes with the help of computer science experts.

This program is supported not only by the President and First Lady of Colombia, but also by the Communications Fund, the Ministry of Education, and Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA). Computadores Para Educar operates out of the building of the Ministry of Communications located in Bogotá. In addition to the central office, the computers are received and serviced in five locations throughout the country including Bogotá, Medellín, Barranquilla, Cali and Cúcuta.

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