There is no compulsory educational law in Chile. Several attempts have
been made to secure the passage of such a measure, but without success.
The failure to secure such an enactment may be attributed to the
indifference of the majority of the citizens of the Republic, who take
little or no interest in the question of providing better facilities
for educating the youth of the country.
Primary instruction is provided by the government, which maintains
two kinds of schools in this class, elementary and superior. In the
elementary, the alphabet, reading, writing, gymnastics, singing, and
the first rules of arithmetic, geography and grammar are taught.
In the superior, in addition to the branches taught in the primary
grades, instructions are given in manual training, physical and
natural science, and other general studies, which prepare the pupils
for entrance into the secondary colleges, “liceos,” and other higher
educational institutions. The number of pupils in attendance at these
schools is about one hundred thousand.
Teachers in the primary grades, masculine and feminine, are prepared in
five normal schools, located in different parts of the country. When
they have finished their studies and passed their examinations, they
receive the title of “Professor” from the State as evidence of their
qualification for teaching. Primary teachers receive a salary of 1,200
pesos per year. After ten years’ service they are entitled to a pension
from the government, and after thirty years they can retire on full pay.