Comunidad Araucaria's Experiencia en Foco brings 22 education ministers to Córdoba, Argentina

Latin American Education Leaders Gather in Córdoba to Share Strategies for Improving Learning Outcomes.

During the first days of July, Córdoba, Argentina, hosted the VI Experiencia en Foco of Comunidad Araucaria, a Varkey Foundation-driven network that brings together education leaders from across the region to share evidence and learn from one another.

Over three days, 22 ministers and secretaries of education from Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay visited schools and met with local teachers and officials to see firsthand how Córdoba's education policies are playing out in the classroom — from curriculum renewal and literacy and mathematics initiatives to computer science, artificial intelligence integration, and stronger links between schools and the world of work.

The gathering focused on a question that resonates across Latin American education systems: how can we ensure that students learn more and better? Increasingly, governments recognise that part of the answer lies in learning from peers, studying policies that have delivered results, understanding why some reforms succeed while others fall short, and adapting lessons to their own contexts.

Organised within the framework of the VI Experiencia en Foco, the event created a space for open and honest dialogue among education leaders. Rather than formal presentations, participants exchanged experiences, reflected on common challenges, and explored practical strategies for improving learning outcomes.

Throughout the visit, delegations learned about Córdoba’s long-term education transformation strategy, including the Provincial Educational Development Plan, TransFORMAR@Cba, the Córdoba Curriculum, the Literacy Commitment, ProA schools, robotics and AI projects, the use of data for decision-making, and initiatives connecting education with employment and production.

The programme also included visits to schools in Córdoba Capital and Alta Gracia, where participants spoke directly with teachers, school leaders, and local authorities about the implementation and impact of these reforms.

Governor Martín Llaryora highlighted the importance of sustaining long-term educational policies based on innovation and collaboration between government and communities. Minister of Education Horacio Ferreyra emphasised that sharing experiences with other education systems strengthens the collective commitment to improving learning outcomes.

Reflecting on the importance of the gathering, Agustín Porres, Regional Director of the Varkey Foundation for Latin America, said:

“The best education policies are born not from isolation but from shared learning. Córdoba has built a track record that is now generating interest in the region, not because it has all the answers, but because it is willing to continue learning alongside other education leaders. And that is the essence of this meeting: to build trust in order to speak honestly about what works, what doesn't, and how to ensure that more and more students learn more and better.”

Since its founding, Comunidad Araucaria has brought together more than 80 ministers and secretaries of education from 14 countries and 55 jurisdictions, representing education systems that reach more than 49,000 schools, one million teachers, and 11 million students.

More than an institutional meeting, the Córdoba experience reflected a shared conviction that the challenges facing education cannot be solved in isolation. Across Latin America, peer learning and the exchange of effective policies are proving to be essential tools for driving meaningful and lasting improvements in student learning.

Read more