CODEL COLEMAN MEETS WITH EDUCATION MINISTER BITAR

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001800

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SCUL PREL CI CODEL
SUBJECT: CODEL COLEMAN MEETS WITH EDUCATION MINISTER BITAR

REF: SANTIAGO 1745


1. CODEL Coleman (SFRC Western Hemisphere Chairman Senator
Coleman and Senator Martinez and Representative Miller) met
with Chilean Education Minister Sergio Bitar in the
Minister's office on Thursday, August 25. Ambassador Kelly,
DCM Yamauchi, and members of the respective staffs were
present.


2. Senator Coleman asked Minister Bitar about Chile's plans
to improve education, particularly with regard to English
language instruction. The Minister responded that the pace
of technological change was creating the need for an
increasingly educated population. As a result, education for
the first time was moving to the forefront of the Chilean
Government's agenda. He noted that the government had taken
on the teacher's unions and pointed to newly created teacher
competency testing programs. The Minister stated that the
Chilean government has a series of priorities -- health care
reform, justice reform as well as infrastructure and
telecommunications improvements - that all require a level
of English proficiency. He hoped that most students would
speak English in ten years, but added that Chile would need
volunteer teachers from outside the country to help achieve
this goal.


3. Senator Coleman noted his subcommittee oversees the
Peace Corps, and that the "Peace Corps represents the best
face of the American People." He promised to speak to
Director Vasquez to support the ongoing bilateral
discussions leading toward a return of the Peace Corps to
Chile to teach English. Senator Martinez added that he,
too, was thrilled by Minister Bitar's vision of a bilingual
Chile and observed that the United States is itself an
increasingly bilingual country. Representative Miller added
his thanks to the Minister for the commitment to English and
for his bold move to challenge Chile's teacher's unions.
The Minister thanked the CODEL for its support for a Peace
Corps presence in Chile and concluded the meeting with his
thoughts on parental involvement in the educational process.


4. CODEL Coleman did not have the opportunity to review
this cable before leaving Santiago.

Kelly