University Education Policies for the Sustainability of Education in Venezuela During COVID-19: The Case Study of Universidad Central de Venezuela

Abstract

COVID-19 caused a global crisis, impacting the dynamics of education systems, which risked the right to education and the continuity of the teaching-learning process, generating the countries to define and implement policies based on the use of technology to secure education. However, many countries were not ready to embrace virtual education. The Venezuelan State defined “Universidad en Casa” as a policy to give continuity to the educational process at the university level in times of pandemic. Guided by a qualitative approach, this paper analyses this policy with the aim of establishing its guiding principles and identifying the challenges of its implementation under the perspective of the Theory of Chaos and Complexity taking as case or study the Central University of Venezuela. The information was collected from 7 informants to authorities of the Central University of Venezuela. The information analysis technique was the content analysis. Among the findings were: the right to education established at the Constitution was at risk, due to conditions resulting from COVID-19; and the implementation of educational policies supported by technology that were not consulted. The postulates that emerge from the Theory of Chaos and Complexity were not properly applied, because adaptability, resilience, and planning are required. The University acted with the resources available to meet the objective. Good practices such as training, information, and collaborative work yielded results. The context requires flexibility and analysis, considering that an educational modality such as the virtual one was assumed.