Implementation of Free Upper Secondary Education in Paraguay, 2011–2019: An analysis Based on the Perceptions of Education Stakeholders

Abstract

This article is based on the doctoral thesis Characterization of the implementation of the Free Secondary Education Law in Officially Managed Institutions of the Paraguayan Educational System during the period 2011 to 2019 (Greco Gregor, 2023) and analyzes the perceptions of key actors from the central administration of the Ministry of Education and Sciences (MEC) and of directors and former directors of official secondary education institutions in the city of Asunción regarding the implementation of Law No. 4088/2010 during the period 2011–2019. The study was qualitative, exploratory, interpretive, and cross-sectional, with retrospective inquiry into the period 2011–2019, based on structured interviews with open-ended questions conducted with seven key actors from the MEC central administration who participated in defining the policy and with six directors and former directors of those institutions. Data were processed using a category operationalization matrix and ATLAS.ti version 8 software. The results show widespread recognition of the benefits of free education for the continuation of studies and institutional management, together with converging criticism of the current criterion for allocating resources based on enrollment. Recommendations are proposed to maintain the policy with adjustments aimed at equity, transparency, and strengthening management capacities. It is concluded that free education is viewed mostly positively by the actors consulted, accompanied by clear demands to reformulate the resource allocation model and permanently evaluate its implementation.