announced on Monday a comprehensive reform of the education sector to modernize school infrastructure and improve the quality of education nationwide.
The reform is part of the National Education Plan 2026–2031, presented at Educational Institution No. 1211 Jose Maria Arguedas in Lima's Santa Anita district.
Accompanied by Education Minister Jose Antonio Chang, the Head of State indicated that the starting point for this reform is the results obtained by Peruvian students in the latest international and national assessments.
The top official noted that Peru must get back on track in education.
In this regard, she said the Government is working with the Ministry of Education and its technical teams to establish a roadmap to restore education’s role as the main tool for development and creating opportunities.
"Over the past few weeks, we have held several working meetings, not only with the minister, but with the entire sector, assessing point by point how we are going to ensure that education once again becomes the most important tool for transforming our society," Fujimori stated.
"Education that enables our children, regardless of which district they were born in, to read, perform mathematical operations, and get a job when they complete their studies. That is what education is all about," she added.
The President stressed the need to ensure continuity for public policies that have delivered results and questioned the notion that changes in Government should mean starting reforms from scratch.
"I also believe that much of this setback is due to political hatred, which leads people to believe that every incoming Government must undo what has been achieved and, with a magic wand, try to create something new," Fujimori explained.
"I have said this repeatedly: that is not how I think. When something works and works well, it should be continued," she emphasized.
In this regard, the Head of State highlighted the experience of Minister Jose Antonio Chang and the technical team leading the sector.
"I welcome the fact that the Education Minister, who has been the best minister in recent decades, has accepted the invitation and is leading this highly important sector, supported by a great technical team," she noted.
Infrastructure modernization
One of the main components of the reform will be the refurbishment and modernization of educational infrastructure.
Currently, only three out of every 10 schools have water, sewage, and electricity services simultaneously, while more than 26,000 school facilities are in at-risk conditions.
"Only 30% of schools in Peru have water, sewage, and electricity. Just imagine—that is outrageous. With the resources available to the country, it is unacceptable to see these figures," Fujimori pointed out.
The President warned that one of the main obstacles to carrying out work at numerous schools is the lack of legal and physical clearance of the land on which they were built.
"A major part of the obstacles within the Government is that they lack physical and legal clearance. In other words, because they do not have a property title, the Government is unable to provide our children with basic services," she explained.
Faced with this situation, she announced that her Government will foster regulations to accelerate interventions and called on Congress to approve the legislative powers requested by the Executive Branch.
"We are not going to sit idly by, as has happened in recent years. We are going to transform those budgets into modern schools. We have proposed the construction of 2,000 new schools, as well as the modernization and refurbishment of 3,000 more, so that our children can study in a decent place," Fujimori stated.
The plan provides for the gradual construction of educational infrastructure over the five-year period.
In turn, Education Minister Chang said the legislative powers will help accelerate the physical and legal clearance of the land and reduce the timeframes that currently prevent investment in numerous educational institutions.
"It cannot be that today in Peru we are unable to address 33,000 schools because neither the private sector nor the Government can invest in land that is not owned by the Government," Chang stated.
"The legislative powers will allow us to clear these properties within the next five years," he added.
The reform also seeks to close the digital divide through a satellite solution that will provide internet access to all educational institutions in Peru.
The plan sets a target of increasing coverage from 28% to 100% in 2027.
"In addition to providing the basic services that our schools must have, we are going to connect them. Today, we have essential tools such as satellite internet," the President noted.
"We are committed to having all schools in Peru connected to the internet by July next year," she announced.
Improving education quality
The second part of the reform will focus on recovering learning outcomes, strengthening teachers, and updating the national curriculum, prioritizing essential knowledge and skills for students.
"The curriculum must be modernized; it must not contain ideology, but rather data, statistics, and real information. We are going to promote reading again," the Head of State indicated.
On this matter, Minister Chang explained that the new curricular approach will prioritize reading, writing, mathematics, science, civic education, values, English, and financial education, among other areas of learning.
In this regard, the Cabinet member said ideological content will be eliminated.
“We are going to remove all types of ideology from the national curriculum. We will rely on the rigor of scientific history so that our children have access to it and their critical thinking enables them to form their own opinions,” he stated.
As part of this strategy, the Government will establish one hour of reading per day at educational institutions nationwide.
Similarly, it will reinstate the guide for parents to involve them directly in their children's learning process.
"Countries with the best education systems know that this is because families are involved in the learning process. That is why we are calling on parents to help us, and we are going to provide them with the parents' guide so that they are also informed about what each of their children’s learning process will be like," the President said.
The reform includes teacher training and assessment with a formative approach. In this regard, the top official emphasized that the objective will not be to punish teachers, but to provide them with tools to improve their performance.
Likewise, as part of efforts to strengthen the Public Teaching Career, the 2026–2031 plan proposes raising entry requirements: applicants will be required to obtain a minimum score of 14 in both the National Test and the decentralized stage.
Furthermore, only those who hold a degree from a licensed university or higher pedagogical school and whose Education program is accredited will be eligible to apply.
"Everyone will do their part. I am sure, and as Minister Chang has explained, that teachers themselves will improve. The goal is not to punish, but to improve," Fujimori stated.
Another component will be vocational education.
The Head of State announced that technical courses will be strengthened during secondary education, technical and vocational training centers will be modernized, and scholarships will be geared toward Peru's productive needs.
"We are going to have a vision of vocational education. Schools must offer these technical courses in the fourth and fifth years of secondary education. We are going to modernize the CETPROs so that youth can receive training, and scholarships are guaranteed," she indicated.
Moroever, school kits will be distributed progressively over the five-year period.
The plan initially includes 1.2 million kits for students in the lowest-income quintiles, consisting of sweatsuits, sneakers, T-shirts, backpacks, and notebooks.
Training for school directors
The third component of the reform will focus on strengthening the autonomy of educational institutions and the leadership of their directors, whom the Government considers key to improving school management.
"The success and operation of a great school depend on the leadership, passion, and ability of our directors. Directors must know how to inspire, but they must also know how to maintain order," the President noted.
Within this framework, she announced the creation of a specialized school to train and provide professional development for those who lead educational institutions.
Minister Chang explained that the goal is for directors to stop focusing primarily on administrative procedures and become leaders capable of involving teachers, students, parents, and communities in improving their schools.
"We need leaders, directors who become leaders, who exercise leadership through their knowledge, because they are very good teachers, but who are also inspirational figures in education," he indicated.
The National Education Plan 2026–2031 proposes the creation of a National School for Directors and plans to progressively increase the number of school leaders trained under this new management model.
Fiscal sustainability
At another point, the President said the announced targets are supported by planning coordinated with the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), so that the objectives can translate into concrete results and rely on budgetary support.
"We have discussed this entire plan in depth with the technical team and the Minister of Economy and Finance. Because none of the willingness that Minister Chang and I may have can be put into practice and translated into results if it is not accompanied by financial resources," Fujimori stated.
The Head of State emphasized that this coordination makes it possible to present a roadmap for the entire five-year period aimed at recovering learning outcomes and expanding opportunities for students.
"That is why today we can present this plan for the next five-year period, which seeks to improve the quality of education and ensure that students have better opportunities," she said.
Finally, the President announced that Jose Maria Arguedas Educational Institution, where the plan was presented, will be rebuilt and included in the new schools program.
"I will conclude by announcing the construction of the new Jose Maria Arguedas school as one of the 2,000 schools that will be built," Fujimori underscored.
“We are going to demolish this one and build a modern, new school, with computers and internet, but also one where you can learn. Next year, the minister and I will come to inaugurate what will be your new school,” she concluded.