San Vicente, Santa Fe, is a community of approximately 7,300 inhabitants (Social Survey San Vicente en Cuenta, August 2022). The formal educational system of the city consists of a municipal nursery, a private nursery, a kindergarten, two primary schools, an adult primary school, a special education school, a private incorporated secondary school, a technical-professional education school, an adult secondary school, a higher education teacher training institute, and a primary school with a kindergarten annex located 5 km away from the city. In non-formal education, the offerings are also extensive and varied.

According to the report "Educational Trajectories: How many students drop out of secondary school in Argentina?" from the Observatory of Argentines for Education (OAE), conducted by Paz Míguez (Éforo Foundation), Samanta Bonelli, and Martín Nistal (OAE), in 2022, school dropout rates in secondary education decreased by around 9 points nationwide. This figure is consistent with the province of Santa Fe, achieving a rate just above 15%.

In our locality, the issue seems to be somewhat more complex, as 5 years ago, school administrators claimed that the dropout rate was around 40%, and the survey conducted in 2022 by the Municipality and a private consulting firm corroborates this. Forty percent report leaving school for work, job search, or caring for siblings so that family members can work; 20% do so due to lack of interest, and in a slightly lower percentage, the option "other reasons" appears, where responses related to bullying and/or school violence prevail.

A young person who leaves their studies and attempts to enter the workforce will likely face difficulties as they lack sufficient knowledge and skills for any company to consider them as a potential candidate for employment. Additionally, the age range in which this occurs (between 14 and 17 years) means that they are not eligible for formal employment (in Argentina, the legal minimum age to work is 16 years), and they cannot yet enroll in adult secondary schools. Therefore, if we do not manage to reverse this situation in the short term, the percentage of the population with low levels of education will likely increase, leading to a lack of potential employees, professionals, skilled workers (already in short supply), and a reduced motivation for the emergence of new ventures.

Currently, the Municipality of San Vicente carries out various actions aimed at contributing to education at the local level, all designed to complement what happens within educational institutions. Specifically, in the case of secondary education, there is support for participation in various provincial and national programs, the provision of talks, workshops, and training, and invitations to students to events with specific themes such as the Week of Science, Technology, and Innovation to strengthen their skills.

1. Renovation of the building where the new secondary school in San Vicente will take place: Create a space suitable for the needs of the new secondary school. This involves the remodeling of an existing space that is a historical heritage of the locality. It must address the needs of the proposed educational model in terms of space flexibility and adaptability.

The former Senor combine harvester factory was the first combine harvester factory in South America. It is a building with great historical value for our city, designated as a historical heritage, belonging to the municipality, ensuring full use. 

2. Innovative pedagogical model: It implies the design and development of a pedagogical model that considers working modalities suitable for the concept of an innovative school. This model will be centered on the interests of the students, considering the need to think about their life project, with a completely flexible curriculum and a focus on knowledge in the broadest sense of the term, considering not only the necessary content but also the skills that are fundamental both for entering the workforce and for continuing studies as the beginning of a professional life. A fundamental axis to achieve these objectives, which will be central to the school, is vocational training.

Experiences that are already in operation will be taken into account. In the province of Santa Fe, EEMPA 1330 stands as a valuable precedent to be considered because its study materials are created from a completely interdisciplinary perspective, relying on project-based learning by addressing different social issues (real and from the community itself), generating instances of intervention, teamwork, and research projects.

3. Approval of the educational project before DIEGEP: Present to the relevant state agencies the project that includes the creation of a new secondary school and its rationale. To achieve this objective, we will focus on coordinating an agenda with DIEGEP to, through the necessary meetings, present the project and explain the importance and need for this new school in the city, providing all the documentation of the project, analysis, conclusions, implementation, viability, financing, and allied institutions. All elements that reinforce the reasons for the approval of this project. It is essential that these steps related to regulatory issues are carried out in a timely manner so that the institution can offer the same graduation conditions as other secondary schools in the province.

4. Selection, hiring, and training of the teaching staff: Call for the registration of teachers to be part of the school staff, offering all necessary training to work based on the current pedagogical models in the school. Teachers will play a fundamental role in the development of this school. It is, therefore, very important that the selection be done responsibly, with a thorough analysis and a clear criterion. They will also be provided with all the information, materials, and training to carry out their tasks in the best possible way, achieving the level and educational standards that we aim to reach with this new school. For this call, local media and the Municipality's social media will be used to ensure that it reaches the entire city and region openly.

5. Launch of enrollment: Open enrollment for the first year of the school, reaching out to young people who have dropped out in previous years and need to complete their secondary education from the beginning. Like the teacher recruitment campaign, student enrollment will be open to the entire community through publications in the media and social networks, as well as through direct contact with all project allies, such as other institutions, businesses, industries, and entrepreneurs.

6. Selection of students to form the first cohort: Evaluate the received registrations so that young people who are the target audience for the proposal can access the first cohort. Initially, registrations will be assessed to verify that the registrants meet the requirements to be part of the first cohort. If the number of registrants exceeds the maximum stipulated, a selection process will be carried out. It should be clarified that an effort will be made to ensure that no registrant is left out of the school, but always considering that the number of students should not have an impact that reduces the quality of education. It should not be a quantity below the minimum required, and this will involve territorial outreach to achieve the goal.

7. School opening: Formally open the school, considering everything necessary in both material and human resources, always being supported and included within current regulations.

At the time of the school opening, it is crucial to ensure that all necessary resources for operation are considered and available. It will also be important to communicate the start of classes to the entire society, both to give it the value and importance it deserves and to integrate it into all the events and occurrences that happen throughout the year, where participation, integration, and visibility of this new school are of vital importance.

Direct Results:

• School headquarters building conditioned
• Pedagogical model designed
• Educational project approved before DIEGEP
• Teaching staff hired and trained
• 20 young people enrolled for the first year of this new initiative

Expected Impact:

• 50% reduction in dropout rates over 6 years from the opening of the school.

• Romina Neiff, Secretary of Innovation and Development, Municipality of San Vicente (romi.neiff@gmail.com).
• Guillermo Savore, Founding Partner, Project Director at Duplo Arq+Ing (architecture and civil engineering studio) (guillermosavore@hotmail.com).