EVANGELICAL UNIVERSITY OF PARAGUAY

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES

EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IMPLEMENTED DURING THE GOVERNMENTS

OF JOSÉ GASPAR RODRIGUEZ DE FRANCE AND CARLOS ANTONIO

LÓPEZ

Fanny Soledad Villarreal Rojas

Jessica Gisselle Benitez Dueck

MONOGRAPHIC WORK PRESENTED TO:

Teacher: Silveria Laguardia

IN FINAL COMPLIANCE

FOR THE PARAGUAYAN EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUBJECT

LAMBARE

JULY, 2019
 INDEX

INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................1

Chapter 1. The educational system implemented during the government of JOSÉ

GASPAR RODRÍGUEZ DE FRANCE............................................................................2

1.1. Who was José Gaspar Rodríguez of France?...................................................2

1.2. Contributions to the education of José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia..............3

Episode 2. The EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IMPLEMENTED during THE

GOVERNMENT OF CARLOS ANTONIO LÓPEZ........................................................6

2.1. Who was Carlos Antonio López?.....................................................................6

2.2. Carlos Antonio López and his contributions to education...............................7

2.2.1. Scholarship system enabled by Carlos Antonio López...........................9

CONCLUSION...............................................................................................................11

BIBLIOGRAPHY...........................................................................................................11

II
 INTRODUCTION

The research work presented below aims to inform the reader about of the

educational system under the governments of Dr. José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia and

Carlos Antonio López, from 1811 to 1862, where the presidential mandate of Carlos

Antonio López culminated. This monographic work is carried out as part of the

Paraguayan Educational Development chair, since the development of education in

those periods is studied.

We will begin to address this research topic, getting to know better the historical

figures previously announced, Dr. José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia and Carlos

Antonio López, knowing their biographies, and subsequently, we will address what we

really want to know, the educational system in those periods. In both periods, quite

important actions were carried out, such as the scholarship system implemented by

Carlos Antonio López or the order given by Dr. José Gaspar Rodríguez of France for

compulsory schooling for boys and girls.

This topic, “Paraguayan educational system in the periods of Dr. José Gaspar

Rodríguez de Francia and Carlos Antonio López”, was chosen, firstly, because it was

extremely interesting and challenging to delve into a topic, which, although some have

been dedicated pages in many books, essays, articles, etc. It is not a topic that is so

talked about today. It is considered that future teachers should know Paraguayan

history, and the evolution that Paraguayan education has had in those times. You are

invited to read the results of the monographic research.

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 CHAPTER 1. THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IMPLEMENTED

DURING THE GOVERNMENT OF JOSÉ GASPAR RODRÍGUEZ DE

FRANCE

I.1. Who was José Gaspar Rodríguez of France?

Collazo (2004) narrates the biography of José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia,

saying that he was born in the city of Asunción on January 6, 1766. He completed his

basic studies in Asunción, and then moved to the Royal University of Córdoba del

Tucumán where he studied Theology, obtaining the titles of Bachelor's Degree and

Master's Degree in Philosophy and Bachelor's Degree and Doctor of Sacred Theology.

In 1808 the Cabildo of Asunción appointed him ordinary mayor with the first

vote; in 1810, attorney general trustee and elected deputy before the Junta of Buenos

Aires; On July 24, 1810, during the Open Town Hall, he expressed his conviction about

the liberation of Paraguay as a Spanish colony, then he was a candidate for deputy to

His Majesty's Courts, which he finally did not attend due to the outbreak of the

Revolution of 1811.

Doctor Francia was the father of the Paraguayan nationality, he was an exciting

man and enigmatic character in our history, a fundamental stone in the May feat,

knowledgeable about the law, a good statesman and possibly the most illustrious

American of his time. Doctor Francia played a central role during very relevant years

for the change in Paraguay and the region. The appearance of France began in 1808,

occupying different public positions and in 1811 he was one of the main leaders of the

Paraguayan state.

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 It is a challenge to study Dr. Francia, his life itself is an enigma for the science

of history, full of myths and mysteries. Hated by many, admired and respected by

others, holder of a unique, tough and unbreakable character. He takes the reins of his

beloved country at the right and precise moment, making use and enjoyment of it, and

calling himself the government. In this way, it subjects the country to a prolonged

dictatorship, imposing very harsh rules of coexistence and converting its decisions into

the final and supreme law.

I.2. Contributions to the education of José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia

We have heard a lot about this enigmatic character, however, in this section we

will highlight his main works in educational matters. As is well known, education is the

best investment to create and found a nation. Paraguay was not in a position to omit this

right in those times. Therefore, after independence, it was essential that more public

schools be enabled, and the State had to be in charge of paying for it, as Speratti (2004)

mentions.

During the government of Dr. Francia, in November 1828, public primary

education became mandatory and free for all children up to the age of 14,

where he promised that the State would invest an annual amount to support

all those schools.

Nowadays it is an obligation and responsibility of parents to take their children

to a public school, if they do not have the resources to pay for private studies, and the

State must be in charge of managing the school kits with all the resources that the

student may need during the course of the school year.

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 José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia focused mainly on primary education, where

children received basic education, they were instructed to learn to read, write and add, if

they wanted to learn more they had to attend a private institution, however, these They

were not of interest to France, and this is what Benítez mentions:

The exceptions at the post-elementary level constitute those implemented

through private dedication, which did not respond to defined plans or

programs, and did not owe their origin and survival to the interest or

support of Dr. Francia. (1993, p. 69)

The greatest contradiction that exists with the works of Dr. Francia is that, for

such an intellectual man, he was in charge of suppressing secondary and higher

education, since, although primary education was mandatory, secondary and higher

education did not receive the same interest on the part of Dr. Francia. The San Carlos

Seminary School and the agreements were closed because they felt threatened by them,

however, the new generation of Paraguay would advance with basic studies, Benítez

(1993, page 69) mentions that “the best educational centers were eliminated. equipped

with teachers

Benítez (1993, page 68) mentions that in the documents found from the time

they mentioned 140 teachers for 5,000 students throughout the Republic, at first glance

it is clear that it is impossible for the teachers to provide enough for so many children,

in addition, the salary and resources assigned to them was non-existent, as Speratti

(2004) mentions when saying that:

France had guaranteed a teacher salary of 6 pesos and a cow a month for

each one, also the teaching materials and even the teachers' suits: pants,

jackets; one for summer and one for winter, hat, poncho and scarf

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 Because Dr. Francia prohibited the exit and entry of people to Paraguay or

outside of it, it was very difficult to renew learning materials, everything used by the

students was the most basic that existed at the time, as well as, having After secondary

and higher educational centers were closed, teaching materials rapidly declined, since

only those who had the necessary resources could afford higher learning with the former

teachers of the agreements and centers that were closed. Consequently, due to the

confinement subjected to the Republic, Paraguay, despite the fact that most of its

inhabitants could read, write and count, was left quite behind, since it did not have

people specialized in different fields, such as, for example, engineering, which is why

Carlos Antonio López later saw the need to bring foreign people to build what would be

the first railroad in the region. Only Dr. Francia had the right to receive newspapers and

gazettes from abroad; While the dictator lived, the country totally ignored what was

happening in the world.

However, it is important to note that Paraguay enjoyed the fame of being the

only country in South America where all its inhabitants knew how to “read, write and

count'' (Benítez, 1993, page 70). Likewise, music and dance enjoyed the favor of the

dictator, the love of reading, the only distraction of Paraguayan society, became very

widespread, and for this they had the library created by France, as Speratti (2004) points

out: '' In 1836, Dr. Francia created the first public library in the history of Paraguay,

with 5,000 volumes. The books in this library were the property of Dr. Francia, some of

them he had brought from Argentina, and other books he had obtained through

Portuguese merchants, all of them served to entertain society.

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 EPISODE 2. THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IMPLEMENTED

DURING THE GOVERNMENT OF CARLOS ANTONIO LÓPEZ

2.1. Who was Carlos Antonio López?

Regarding the biography of Carlos Antonio López, Monte (1997, page 421) tells

his story saying: “he was born in Asunción on November 4, 1792”, mentions that Carlos

Antonio López was the son of a tailor, Miguel López, and Melchora Ynsfran, belonging

to an ancient lily lineage. He completed his studies at Colegio San Carlos, where later,

he would be working as an educator in the chairs of; Arts and Theology, however, once

the school was closed by Dr. Francia, he would work as a lawyer.

He was the first constitutional president of Paraguay, ruling from 1844 to 1854,

after he himself proposed that the Paraguayan nation should be run by a single person

again, since previously the Consulate (where he was a member) was the one who

governed. to Paraguay. As González (1997) Carlos Antonio López mentions, he carried

out many works in Paraguay, such as the construction of the railway, the creation of the

Paraguayan National Anthem, the recognition of the Independence of Paraguay at an

international level, and other works, but, the main The work he carried out was in the

educational field, where he set up schools and offered study scholarships abroad.

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2.2. Carlos Antonio López and his contributions to education

The differences between the educational policy of José Gaspar Rodríguez de

Francia and Carlos Antonio López are quite significant; during the French dictatorship,

for example, there were only about 140 teachers in the country, as mentioned by Benítez

(1993, page 68). , and although at that time the population was not as considerable as it

is now, there were about five thousand students registered throughout the Republic,

therefore, the existing teachers could not cope with so many students, in addition,

education was It was based on children learning to read, write and count, those three

were the only fundamental thing.

For his part, Carlos Antonio López, as Benítez mentions (1993, page 74), “One

of the fundamental concerns of Don Carlos Antonio López, expressed early, was the

promotion of education.” Apart from opening new public schools, new academies were

enabled, such as those mentioned by Benítez:

The Literary Academy was created, with chairs from a true university

program: Spanish and Fine Letters, Latin, Philosophy (Logic, Metaphysics

and Physics), Dogmatic and Moral Theology and Ecclesiastical History

and Sacred Oratory.

The Literary Academy was only one of the few open institutions, under the

mandate of Carlos Antonio López, over time more educational centers would be

opened, as Benítez mentions: “The State created 435 schools that were attended by

about 25. 000 students” (1993, p. 76). And if these students did not have the resources

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to pay for their studies, the State was responsible for offering monetary aid so that they

could continue with their studies.

Under the government of Carlos Antonio López, the Escuela Taller or School of

Arts and Crafts was created, where Benítez mentions that it was: “a revolutionary

innovation for its time” (1993, page 76). As had already been mentioned, the

fundamental thing previously was to learn to add, subtract and read, therefore, the fact

that a school has been opened clearly focused on the different arts, shows that

Paraguayan education was on the right track at that time, since who not only focused on

the basics, but also wanted Paraguayan children to receive a good education.

Additionally, several academies were opened by foreigners at that time, such as

those cited in Benítez (1993, p. 77), English and French began to be taught, and the

Music School was opened for all those who wanted to learn music, as well as the

Drawing School. These schools could be found in different parts of the country, some

were in the very center of the city and others were in the interior of the country.

Regarding specialized education, Carlos Antonio López supported everything

related to entrepreneurship in Paraguay, and as he understood that this would happen

through education, he encouraged the creation of several academies in addition to the

one mentioned above. Benítez (1993, page 76) cites some of these specialized

academies, where being poor was not an impediment, as mentioned before, the State

provided the necessary resources so that people without resources could access any of

the academies. , and thus, with the support of Carlos Antonio López, the School of

Mathematics, the School of Latinity, the Normal School, the School of Civil and

Political Law, among other schools opened in Paraguay at that time, emerged. These

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schools demonstrated the growth that Paraguay was experiencing in education, being

one of the best educational systems in the region for its time.

The government was also responsible for providing education to the country's

aborigines, the Indians, teaching them about the usefulness of agriculture and the

mechanical trades of the time. The Indians, along with the poor, were taught in:

“tailoring, shoemaking, hat making and other trades that would allow them the

possibility of supporting themselves, and they did not have the excuse of being “poor”

for not attending classes. In addition, they were taught in these jobs outside of study

time so as not to interfere with their mandatory education, as Areces & González

mention.

The government of Carlos Antonio López also took care of the teachers, since as

mentioned before, Dr. Francia offered an extremely insignificant salary to the educators,

for his part, Carlos Antonio López in the decree of March 19, 1854 He said that: “the

Republic needs learning of arts, crafts and factories of all kinds, the teachers of these

professions will be generously protected by the government” (Benítez, 1993, page 76)

2.2.1. Scholarship system enabled by Carlos Antonio López

The government of Carlos Antonio López created scholarships for those students

who did not have the necessary resources to continue their studies, either in specialized

schools or for those chosen to go to other countries. Benítez (1993, p. 77) tells about

young people sent to study in other countries, saying:

In 1858, sixteen young people were sent to England and France to study

humanities, sciences and specializations in railways, shipbuilding and

other techniques. They were all back by 1863.

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 It must be recognized, however, that most of the contributions made by Carlos

Antonio López could not have been made if Paraguay did not have a good economy.

Areces & González mentioned:

There are in the Villas and in various districts many primary schools for

insolvent young people and poor orphans that the State pays for, providing

them with housing, maintenance and changing rooms (s. t., p. 98)

Therefore, thanks to the fact that the dictatorship of José Gaspar Rodríguez de

Francia collected a lot of money and in the times of Carlos Antonio López these were

invested correctly and were not wasted, different educational institutions could be

opened, financed absolutely by the government and the scholarships offered to the

students.

It was in the decree pronounced in 1844 where the law was created for the

creation of scholarships to study abroad. Currently, in Paraguay there is a scholarship

program named in honor of Carlos Antonio López, called BECAL or Don Carlos

Antonio López Scholarships, where the most outstanding young people or adults

participate in competitions to win educational scholarships to other countries, where It

is stipulated that, upon completing their studies, they must return and work in Paraguay

for 5 years.

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 CONCLUSION

In summary, it can be said that Paraguay prospered greatly during the

dictatorship of Dr. Francia and the government of Carlos Antonio López, since through

their contributions Paraguay grew not only economically, but also educationally,

becoming one of the countries that had the lowest illiteracy rate in the entire region.

During the government of Dr. Francia the educational system made great

advances, among which the mandatory nature of primary education for all children in

Paraguay stands out, through which illiteracy was largely eliminated in the country.

For his part, Carlos Antonio López also made great contributions to education,

among which we can highlight the opening of new schools, the different open

Academies, the national and international scholarships offered to those students who did

not have the necessary resources to continue. with his studies, among other important

contributions to the education and development of the country.

Currently, there are scholarships for outstanding students, just as Carlos A. had

offered. Lopez, like; BECAL, which offers scholarships to the best students to study in

other countries, as well as some educational institutions offer scholarships to those

students who want to study, but do not have the necessary resources.

Both Dr. Francia and Carlos Antonio López were men who carried out great

works for the benefit of Paraguay and its inhabitants. Both had different ways of

governing, but they managed to make Paraguayan education advance greatly for their

time, and some of their contributions endure to this day, such as the mandatory nature of

primary education and the scholarship system.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Areces, N. & González, B. (s.f.). El Paraguay durante los gobiernos de Francia y de

los López. Asunción: El Lector. Recuperado el 5 de marzo de 2019

Benítez, L. (1993). Reseña de historia del Paraguay. Recuperado el 5 de marzo de 2019

Collazo, J. (2004). El dictador Francia y la sociedad Paraguaya. Mexico. Recuperado

el 25 de mayo de 2019, de http://www.redalyc.org/pdf/281/28100705.pdf

Monte, M. (1997). Crónica Histórica Ilustrada del Paraguay. Buenos Aires, Argentina:

Talleres Gráficos Indugraf S. A. Recuperado el 5 de marzo de 2019

Speratti, J. (2004). Historia de la educación paraguaya 1812-1932. Política

educacional del Dr. Francia . Recuperado el 25 de marzo de 2019, de

http://www.abc.com.py/articulos/politica-educacional-del-dr-francia-

787097.html

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