Berkley Center

Background: As part of the Education and Global Social Justice Project, in June 2011 undergraduate student Codie Kane interviewed Carlos Orellano, a scholarship student of information technology at José Simeón Cañas Central American University (Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas, UCA). In this interview, Orellano discusses his personal challenges in transitioning from a rural high school to a rigorous university and the role of the church in improving education and offering opportunities for students, such as himself, to pursue higher education.

Tell me about yourself and your experience as a student, both before college and now in university.

I was born during one of the hardest years of the El Salvador civil war in Arcatao, a small canton in the department of Chalatenango. At that point, the region in which I lived was in serious conflict. My father was a guerrilla soldier on the side of the [Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front], the rebel militia. I had 10 brothers and sisters, but four died as a result of the struggle.

When I started kindergarten, the school in Arcatao was a popular school. It was independent from the government, supported by the parish and community directive. My teachers were all popular teachers. They weren’t professionals or even licensed; they were normal people, mostly older community members or parents who had studied a little and were willing to share anything they could with us, the kids, to make sure we grew up with an education.

When I was in fourth grade, this changed. The state legalized the school, initiating a connection between our community and the Ministry of Education. New teachers from the Ministry of Education began to arrive. Our original teachers, the popular teachers, had to get official certifications to remain in their positions. They got teaching degrees through a distance learning program from the University of El Salvador. I remember that, when they finished, they were more prepared to handle a classroom than when they had started. They had worked hard before, but they just didn’t have the professional training to impart quality academics.

I completed elementary and high school in Arcatao. I didn’t know if I was going to continue studying afterward. Going to college costs so much money. I knew my family couldn’t afford it. I was lucky, though, to get a scholarship from the parish’s Desarollo Hermano Popular program. They paid for transportation to and housing in San Salvador. Because of them, I’m currently in my fifth year at the UCA. I’m studying information technology.

Going to university has been hard. One of the first things I noticed when I got here was that I wasn’t fully academically prepared. My high school was great, but it wasn’t equipped to get students ready for college-level work. At the UCA, all of my classes and teachers are demanding. They ask a lot more of me than I was ever expected to do before.

It’s also been a big change to live in San Salvador. When I first got here, I almost never went out into the street. I didn’t know anyone or anything. I was afraid. Now after five years, I know my way around better. I still don’t go out a lot, but I feel more comfortable here. Nevertheless, sometimes when I go home to visit, I don’t want to leave. I want to stay with my family.

It sounds like you’ve overcome a lot to be able to continue studying. What motivates you to keep pushing forward?

I work hard for my family. I want to be able to help them. I want my parents to be able to say that their son is a professional.

I’m not really working for myself. I know the importance of solidarity and sharing. My education will help not just me, but my community as a whole. It will be part of how we move forward together.

I’m also committed to education, because I understand the power of knowledge. I’ve seen a lot of struggles in life and I know how much people can lose—their car, their house, even their family. One thing they can’t be robbed of, though, is what’s in their head. No matter what happens to me, I’ll always have what I learn.

Tell me about education in your community.

As I said before, I arrived at college unprepared for the work that was asked of me. I think this is because of the lack of resources to which my school has access. It doesn’t have enough teachers, and it certainly doesn’t have enough specialists. Its library is small and has very few books with relevant, academic information. In general, students learn a lot of theory but are given little practice. Without the appropriate tools, they don’t have the opportunity to apply what they learn to real life. In my case, for instance, I arrived at college without ever having done a science or math experiment. It was a shock to have to learn how to do them when everyone else had done so years ago.

What impact has this had on your community?

I think that the fact that those who run the education system in Arcatao are community members has been important. They experienced the war, just like everyone else. Many are ex-popular teachers. In their teaching, they try to maintain the values that emerged during the conflict. They impart the ideas of solidarity and peace that were so important during wartime. This is important because the new generation didn’t live through the struggle. They have to be taught explicitly the need to move forward together as a community. They have to learn that it is only through cooperation that we can all live better lives.

What has been the role of the church in your community and in education there in particular?

Since I can remember, the church in Arcatao has been made up of Jesuits. They’ve had an incredible impact. They’ve all had such energy to help the community. They don’t just preach; they really work to make our lives better.

Father Miguel, in particular, has had a strong presence since I was growing up. He joined the parish during the war and has been accompanying the community in its struggles ever since. He was an activist throughout the conflict. He didn’t use arms, but instead stood up for the people. He denounced what he thought was wrong and, for this he made a lot of enemies. He lived through the same suffering as we did. He is the type of person that gives hope.

It was Father Miguel that started the scholarship initiative, Desarollo Hermano Popular, which allowed me to come to college. The idea of the program is to enable young people to continue studying so that they can become professionals. They can then return to their hometowns and act as the motors of development. In this way, change and progress is organic; it comes from the community members themselves.

To get the scholarship, candidates have to demonstrate not only good grades and participation, but also a desire to return to their community. They have to show that they don’t just want to work for themselves, but for those around them. They need to understand what it means to move forward together. They submit an application that consists of a questionnaire, letters of recommendation from a member of the church and of the community, and a statement describing their financial situation. The application is reviewed by a committee made up of parents, teachers, and other community members. They usually all know the applicant and are able to say based on firsthand knowledge whether he or she is a good person who meets the scholarship criteria. The money I received allowed me to go the UCA. The education I’m getting is exactly what the committee is looking for. It’s more than academic—it’s about values, morals, and justice.