- Population: 3, 339,781(E)
- Administrative Political Division: Comprises 9 provinces, 75 districts or municipalities, 3 indigenous regions known as comarcas, and 621 corregimientos
- Territorial Area: 75,517 km2
- Currency: Its monetary unit is the Balboa, which is subdivided in 100 cents and its value is equivalent to one (1) US dollar
- Language: Spanish is the official language
- Population Density: 37.6 inhabitants per km2
- Birth Rate: 20.2 per one thousand inhabitants
- Mortality Rate: 4.4 per one thousand inhabitants
Source: General Comptrollership of the Republic of Panama: Panama in Numbers 2003-2207. Edition Nº 49, November, 2008.
- Enrollment for the 2008 school year: 809,695 students.
- 95,745 preschool students (4 to 5 years old).
- 447,749 in elementary school (6 to 11 years old).
- 165,464 in middle school (12 to 14 years old).
- 100,737 in secondary school (15 to 17 years old).
- Public education attended an enrollment of 702,184 students, which represents 87% of the total student population, and private schools had an enrollment of 107,511 students which represents 13% of the total.
- At the higher university education level, both public and private, the enrollment for 2007 was approximately 133,369 students. 74% of the enrollment is attended by the national universities and 26% by private universities.
Source: Department of Statistics - Ministry of Education, May, 2009.
- Background on Higher Education
In accordance with the Organic Educational Law 47 of 1946, with the additions and modifications introduced by Law 34 of July 6, 1995, higher education is part of the Normal Education Sub-System, at the Third Level of Education, which corresponds to education encompassing postsecondary, non-university and university education.
Executive Decree 50 of March 23, 1999 regulates how the non-university Higher Education Centers operate. Additionally, Law Decree 16 of July 11, 1963 regulates the establishment and operation of private universities in the Republic of Panama. Their authorization corresponds to the Executive Branch through the Ministry of Education pursuant to Executive Decree 233 of July 4, 1965; while oversight remained in the hands of the University of Panama by mandate of Article 95 of the Political Constitution of 1972. Law 30 of 2006 repeals Law 16 of 1963, creating the National University Evaluation and Accreditation System, regulating at the same time the university creation and operation process.
Organic Law on Education
http://www.asamblea.gob.pa/APPS/LEGISPAN/PDF_GACETAS/2000/2004/25042_2004.PDF
- Entity responsible for Higher Education:
The State, through the Ministry of Education, exercises its fundamental duty of providing all Panamanians with the full scope of culture and education.
The Department of Third Level Education of the MINISTRY OF EDUCATION is the entity responsible for the coordination, supervision and evaluation of the levels of quality and excellence of the educational offer developed by the institutions which form part of the Educational System at the Postsecondary, Higher and University levels, in order to satisfy the demands of the productive sectors and the needs of the population. In the case of higher university education, it shares the responsibility with the Technical Oversight Commission and the National Council for University Evaluation and Accreditation of Panama (CONEAUPA).
Website: http://www.meduca.gob.pa
- Quality Assurance Mechanisms
National Council for University Evaluation and Accreditation of Panama (CONEAUPA)
This is the governing body of the National Evaluation and Accreditation System for Quality Improvement of Higher University Education in Panama created by Law 30 of July 20, 2006.
It is the national evaluation and accreditation agency, with financial, administrative and regulatory autonomy, with its own assets and legal status, representative of the different sectors associated with the development of higher education in the country. Additionally, it participates (jointly with the Technical Oversight Commission and the Ministry of Education) in the creation process of private universities.
The National Council for University Evaluation and Accreditation of Panama has the following functions:
- Promote, organize and manage the National Evaluation and Accreditation System for Quality Improvement of Higher University Education.
- Develop policies to strengthen the National Evaluation and Accreditation System for Quality Improvement of Higher University Education.
- Formulate general conceptual and methodological guidelines for the National Evaluation and Accreditation System for the Improvement of Higher University Education.
- Approve regulatory projects which develop the provisions established in the current Law.
- Approve their annual operating plan and corresponding budget.
- Offer technical consultancy to the universities in the institutional self-evaluation process, as well as ensure compliance of the institutional improvement plans.
- Organize and coordinate the external evaluation phase of independent academic pairs as indicated by this Law.
- Publicly issue the accreditation certificates of the programs and institutions that comply with the established quality standards.
- Prepare the technical reports on the consistency and feasibility of the institutional project, based on the Technical Oversight Commission’s reports, required by the Ministry of Education, to grant provisional and final authorization for the creation of new universities or cancellation of authorization for those that do not comply with the established requirements.
- Carry out evaluation, accreditation and quality management training programs for higher university education, targeted to the entities responsible for said processes.
- Promote and establish cooperation partnerships with recognized evaluation and accreditation agencies as well as with national and international cooperation organizations.
- Appoint, through open competition, the Executive Secretary of the National Council for University Evaluation and Accreditation of Panama, for a period of three years, renewable only once, as well as annually evaluate his/her performance in order to determine dismissal or permanence on the post.
- Request the Technical Oversight Commission for the corresponding favorable report to incorporate private universities into the evaluation and accreditation processes.
- Perform any other function not contemplated in the current Law.
Website: http://www.coneaupa.edu.pa
Technical Oversight Commission
The Technical Oversight Commission is an entity through which the University of Panama, in coordination with the rest of the national universities, oversees the operation of the private universities in order to guarantee quality and relevance in education as well as recognize the certificates and degrees they issue.
This Commission participates in the creation process of new universities by submitting a Favorable Report to the National Council for University Evaluation and Accreditation of Panama (CONEAUPA).
- Other Institutions or Organizations related to Education:
Council of University Presidents
The Council of University Presidents is an entity that brings together the presidents of the 5 national universities and 14 private universities and whose mission is essentially to help toward the success of the Panamanian university system, within its fundamental roles of teaching, research and extension, in delivering to society upright, competent, enterprising and innovative professionals, committed to the strengthening of the national identity and collective well being, and focusing its activities to achieve these objectives: “Constantly pursue the improvement of quality and relevance, equity and modernization in the management of higher education institutions to achieve a more efficient and effective administration.”
Website: http://www.pa/consejo
National Education Council
The National Education Council is made up of 11 members who have received recognition in the academic, scientific, technological and business world and who are representative of society. It was created by Executive Decree N 1030 of December 30, 2004 of the Presidency of the Republic primarily to “analyze, guide, propose and learn about the progress in regard to State policies, directed toward improving the quality at all levels of the educational system, aligned with the national development objectives.”
In 2006 this Council followed a detailed study on how the Panamanian educational system operates, including the Strategic Plan 2005-2009 and in 2006 presented a Future Vision of Panamanian Education in 2015.
National Secretariat for Science and Technology (SENACYT)
The National Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation (in Spanish, SENACYT) of the Republic of Panama is an autonomous institution created in 1997 whose mission is to use science and technology as sustainable development tools for the country.
This Secretariat operates according to guidelines established in the National Strategic Plan for the Development of Science, Technology and Innovation. It is a member of CONEAUPA.
Website: http://www.senacyt.gob.pa/
- Panamanian Association of Private Universities.
It is an institution, created in January 2007, made up of ten (10) private universities, whose mission is the fostering of academic quality and excellence, the development of scientific, humanistic, technological and extension activities research in support of culture and strengthening its identity, within a framework of respect for the autonomy and nature of each member institution.
Website: http://www.auppa.org.pa/
