WHY A POLITICIAN EARNS MORE THAN A UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR?

MERIT TO BE A UNIVERSITY TEACHER IN VENEZUELA

Being a University Professor in Venezuela implies going through a rigorous selection process, which consists of two phases; evaluation of credentials and performance evaluation properly of the teaching function. The entrance to the teaching career is subject to the figure of merit contest; competition of credentials and opposition contest. However, to qualify for the hierarchy and the status of permanent staff, within any University Institution, it is required to have won an opposition contest.

The basic difference between a contest of credentials and one of opposition, is that in that only interested staff is asked to demonstrate in writing their suitability for the position based on their academic preparation. In the opposition competitions, in addition to the academic excellence of the teacher, it is required to evaluate their performance, for which, the latter must prepare a subject assigned according to the subject matter of the contest and, expose it in front of a jury, consisting of a group of Professional specialists in the area subject to the contest. In addition, a written test related to the programmatic content of the subject in question must be carried out.

That is to say, that those teaching professionals interested in being part of the university ladder, must demonstrate that they have not only academic training but also be willing to exhibit their teaching skills through the proper teaching action.

It should be noted that in order to move up within the mentioned ladder, promotion work must be done to move from one category to the next, and there are 5 categories; Instructor, Assistant, Aggregate, Associate and Holder. According to this, a tenured professor must have at least 15 years of professional practice, have fourth level studies, that is, be a Doctor or at least Master.

If we compare the salary of these professionals with that of any political activist, whose training is far from that of a university professor, we are at least alarmed. The difference is abysmal, with an advantage for them. The university professors have in their hands the future of the Country, being responsible for their academic formation and the politicians, above all, our President, is responsible for the administration of the goods of the public treasury. It is regrettable that the popular election is enough to designate this important and key person to lead the destiny of a Nation.

They say that the town or the majority is not wrong, but history shows us the opposite, but look retrospectively and remember the sad episode in the history of mankind, in which Barabbas is victorious before Jesus of Nazareth, product of the popular election .

One of the attributions of the National Constituent Assembly is to draft a new Constitution, which by the way, after 5 months has not yet occurred. If the drafting of a new constitution were to take place, what would be interesting would be to dwell on the passage that corresponds to the qualities that the first national figure must display to do among others, the following limitation:

Demonstrate in writing and through concrete facts to the Country, like university professors, that it is in a position to respond to all the demands of society. That is, to present a viable, credible project capable of convincing even the most skeptical Venezuelan about how to solve the problems that afflict us, in the face of the national crisis that now overwhelms us.

In this order of ideas, there would be popular elections but on the basis of those government projects, where we are convinced about the fact of how things will be resolved and they must have the endorsement of a multidisciplinary jury, which will dictate the guidelines on the requirements that must be observed. Our President must be elected from the perspective of the Opposition contests.