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Now Reading: “Estudiantes Organizados” – Young Students Transforming Education in Argentina
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“Estudiantes Organizados” – Young Students Transforming Education in Argentina
“Estudiantes Organizados” – Young Students Transforming Education in Argentina
Just like in many places around the globe, Argentinian education went through a crisis during the pandemic; a crisis that, to this day, still has an impact on the way the country’s youth learns and studies. But for a small, almost rebellious group of students, this situation could not be ignored.
How it All Started
In March 2020, the world stopped. Schools were closed and people remained in lockdown. However, suddenly, in the empty streets of Buenos Aires, something appeared. Wearing masks, carrying signs, and going out as much as they could, considering safety norms, a group of students started protesting, demanding open schools. What for some may sound crazy was completely reasonable considering the national situation: with high rates of poverty, many Argentinian children and teenagers were being left out of the new system. Without access to a computer, a phone, or even a connection, students facing vulnerable situations were denied one of the most important human rights of all: education. And even for those who were privileged enough to continue with their studies, a lack of focus and motivation started to become an issue. It was undeniable that a screen could never replace a teacher, and that a Zoom
meeting could never replace a classroom. It was in that context that those unhappy students, in search of better access to education for all, organized, creating “Estudiantes Organizados” (Organized Students).
From the Street to the Senate
After continuing their work on social media, and the capital’s streets, the organization quickly grew, having more and more people watching and supporting the group’s request to the national government to put education as the administration’s main priority. In December 2021, they protested, once more, outside of the National Congress, demanding new legislators to fulfill what they promised during their campaign and focus on this human right that was declining in quality all across Argentina. After months of hard work, Estudiantes Organizados was invited to the Argentinian Senate, to discuss with different members ofthe National Congress on the future of education, sharing their vision on it. Furthermore, in 2024, the “Essential Education” Law Project, that the group not only proposed, but also kept as a crucial value in the formation organization, got the approval ofthe Deputies and Senators
Chamber, and is now officially a Law. The document covers different fields, but focuses on the importance of full academic years and the avoidance of cancelled classes and teacher absence.
Growing for Education
Over the years, all through to 2025, Estudiantes Organizados has immensely grown in size, to the point of becoming the biggest student-led organization in the history of Argentina. With the lead of its president and founder, Valentino Diaz Fontau, the organization has organized workshops, granted college scholarships from different universities to financially vulnerable students, and continued its legislative and social work throughout different regions and provinces, all across the country. But just as action has increased, necessity has too: the reduction of funds for public universities and schools, and the increase in poverty and teacher strikes, has created new challenges for this and other education-focused organizations. But surely, the group is not likely to give up. By recruiting new volunteers and expanding their efforts to new areas, Estudiantes Organizados has given Argentinian education new horizons, and most importantly, it has given students hope: hope for a future where education is a priority for the country’s
government. A future where the whole population understands the importance of learning as a life-long process, as an essential part of every society. In the words ofValentino, “When education is not essential, ignorance becomes a public policy”. Hopefully, they will be the ones who finally turn the situation around.
A Worldwide Movement
So, as global education faces a crisis, what can we learn from Estudiantes Organizados? The truth is, a lot. Using their organization, their progress, their values, and their resilience as a paradigm, students from all around the world can start working towards change, towards a future where their learning is not questioned, but promoted. So, the next time you think that your voice is not loud enough to be heard, that your ideas aren’t powerful enough to transform your reality, think about Estudiantes Organizados. Think about the small group ofrebellious students who now lead the education movement in Argentina, and who are likely going to change it forever.
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