By executive message of February 14, 1918, the work of certain of
the departmental liceos in discovering boys of talent in the higher
elementary schools who were without means of continuing their
education, and giving them opportunities to pursue their studies by
means of a system of scholarships, was highly commended, especially
as a beginning of bridging the chasm between elementary and secondary
education.
In response to popular demand, courses in Italian and Portuguese were
incorporated by decree of the secondary education division of public
instruction in 1917. With the object of making known to teachers
in secondary education the international progress in this field, a
journal entitled “Revista de Enseñanza Secundaria” was established by
executive decree under the direction of the secretary of this division.
All reports and public business concerning this division are to be
published in this journal.
By executive decree of November, 1917, all courses for the training of
primary-school teachers maintained since April, 1916, in the liceos of
the outlying departments were discontinued. They had been originally
instituted by way of experiment for supplying teachers for the rural
schools, and were not regarded as serving this purpose. Furthermore, in
view of the agitation for improved rural schools, it was regarded as
useless to continue a system of training which had proved, because of
its environment, impracticable to harmonize with modern schools.