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Study and find schools in Peru

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Cities to study in Peru

ArequipaCuscolimaLondonPimentelSan Miguel

The Republic of Peru lies on the Pacific coast of South America just south of the Equator.  To the Quechua Indians Peru means "land of abundance," and sites such as Machu Picchu and Cusco recall the enormous wealth of the Inca civilization, destroyed in the early 16th century by Spaniards, who built an empire on Peru's gold and silver.  Today Peru ranks among the world's top producers of silver, copper, lead, and zinc.  It’s petroleum industry is one of the world's oldest, and its fisheries are among the world's richest. The Inca capital of Peru was Cusco, but the Spanish, who colonized the country, founded Lima in 1535 along the coast and made it their capital. The Spanish preferred the lowland coast because of the climate and for trade links to Spain, as the western seaboard is desert, where rain seldom falls.  Lima is an oasis containing more than a quarter of Peru's 28 million people—a population that consists mostly of people of European descent and/or mestizo heritage.  Peru encompasses an area of roughly 497,000 square miles, with the Andean highlands occupying about a third of that area—an area that consists mostly of Quechua-speaking Indians, the language of the Inca Empire.  East of the Andes lies a sparsely populated jungle.  Here the major city is Iquitos, a city that because of recent oil discoveries there is quickly gaining in population.  Iquitos can be reached by ocean-going vessels coming some 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) up the Amazon River.

Peru's recent history has seen it switch between periods of democracy and dictatorship. The desperate poverty of the Indian population gave rise to the ruthless Maoist guerrilla organization Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path), and although the guerrillas were largely defeated, problems with poverty and illegal coca production still persist.

Education System in Peru

The education system in Peru serves youth from shortly after birth until the completion of university studies, although many limitations and exclusions, geographic and otherwise, make this system far from universal.

Pre-primary education in Peru begins at age 2 or 3 and continues until children begin their primary education at age six.  This type of education, which includes pre-reading education, music, art, and play, attempts to prepare students, both academically and socially, for the next stage of education.

According to the legal standards of Peru, children have access to equal and compulsory primary education beginning at age six and culminating at age 11 or 12.  Once students successfully complete the primary stage of their education, they move on to a unified two-year program of secondary education, taught at a general secondary school from ages 12 to 14.  

At the conclusion of the general secondary school program, students are divided into two tracks for a three-year program of education, beginning at age 14 and culminating at age 16 or 17.  The more academic of these tracks is known as the Ciclo Diversificado Científico-Humanista, which awards a Bachillerato Academico upon completion. The second track, the technical/vocational secondary school, awards its completing students a Bachillerato Técnico.  

In addition to three-tiered program of traditional education (primary, general secondary and higher secondary), the nation also provides special education services for nearly 300,000 students annually.  These students include those with cognitive and physical disabilities as well as emotional instability. Education in Peru is compulsory from the ages of 6 through 16. The academic year runs from April to December for 38 school weeks each year.  In the secondary schools, each week includes 36 class periods.

Institutions offering compulsory education in Peru include both state-run schools and private institutions.  All private schools operate on a non-profit basis with state oversight and regulation. Private schools are generally self-funding, although some receive a subsidy from the government that assists in the payment of teacher salaries. Fees levied by private schools are set by a fees and scholarships committee within the individual school, composed of the school's director, its principal (or a designated representative), a member of the faculty, and a representative of the parents. The fees assessed range from $15 to $300 monthly.  Roughly 25 percent of private-school students attend schools provided by religious bodies, such as the Roman Catholic Church.

Higher education in Peru consists of both universities and technical colleges.  Universities began operating in Peru with the establishment of the Universidad Nacional Major de San Marcos by the Royal Decree issued by King Carlos V on May 12 in 1551.  The institute opened as the Sala Capitular del Convento de Santo Domingo in 1553.  In 1571, the university obtained Papal approval and in 1574 it received the name of Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos.  The precursor to the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, the "Estudio General o Universidad," was established in Cusco by the Dominicans on July 1, 1548.  This institution was responsible for teaching evangelists for the new lands, and taught scripture, theology, grammar, and the Quechuan language.

Non-university post-secondary education is provided by technological institutions, educational institutions, technical production education centers, and other facilities. These institutions are under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, which is responsible for providing their operating licenses.