These last weeks we have seen a rugged political scene with many actions that should call us to reflect on different aspects. Apart from the facts that have been publicly exposed in different media, and that are still a matter of investigation, I would like to dwell on the role and responsibility that we have as citizens, as leaders, and, above all, as educators who watch over the training of future professionals that our country needs.
Can we transform Peru without a culture of values?
The transformation requires that both innovation and demand be sustained by a culture of values. This is something that we firmly believe at the UPC, and they have also been our pillars since we were founded. If values are not present in a person’s education, then we are not talking about an authentic training. And if we are not training a professional as it should, it means that we are the main responsible for the problems that afflict our society, but we prefer to be ignorant, we look to the side and we do the easiest thing that is to blame the system . History has shown us that a society without values is a society that is condemned to disappear.
It is essential, then, that educational institutions, responsible for training future citizens, seriously analyze and question our educational model on all fronts. Do we have protocols and certifications that ensure that our administrative and teaching staff have the moral and ethical capacity to function in our institution? Is this something that we constantly measure every year, or do we only settle for collaborators signing a document on conflict of interest when entering work? In addition to this self-assessment, we must have a consistent attitude at all levels, from the head of the organization, the management team, collaborators, teachers, our strategic partners, suppliers, etc. We cannot promote a culture of values without leading by example.
It is extremely important to root out immoral acts in our organizations, penalizing and communicating them. Punishments should be truly exemplary, whether you are a key collaborator or are in a critical position in the organization. To do this, we must set up an anonymous complaints channel that allows us to protect the identity of the complainant and carry out a thorough investigation, preferably with an external consultant.
For example, on the education sector side, I believe that the judicial system could contribute a lot to making the criminal and judicial records of teachers transparent, in the same way that credit bureaus handle the financial information of clients and classify them as according to your ability to pay. Educational institutions could consult on this platform during the incorporation process, and reserve the legitimate right to decide who will be the people who will train our students.
I am sure that if we work as a team to carry out this and other innovative mechanisms that favor a culture of zero tolerance in the face of corruption and immoral acts, we will have significant changes in a short time. Only in this way can we correct the course of our history, ensuring a new generation of responsible, upright and innovative citizens who truly love and respect their country.
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