‘Ciclo cero’ para universidades: los escenarios si se aprueba el dictamen promovido por Perú Libre  | LIMA | EL COMERCIO PERÚ

Proposed 'Zero Cycle' for Peruvian Universities

A controversial bill in Peru, promoted by the Peru Libre party, proposes a mandatory preparatory semester ('ciclo cero') for all universities, public and private. This semester, administered by each institution's pre-university center, would cost students a small fee (5% of a UIT, or S/267.50). This proposal is part of a broader push for changes to university admissions, including several past attempts to introduce free admission to public universities.

Concerns and Criticisms

Critics, including the National Council of Education (CNE) president and the National Association of Public Universities of Peru (ANUPP), express serious concerns. Key points include:

• Financial Strain: The 'ciclo cero' would significantly impact the already limited budgets of public universities, potentially costing over 350 million soles in lost revenue and requiring 850 million soles in additional investment.
• Undermining Meritocracy: The proposal is criticized for potentially reducing merit-based admission, leading to a less selective process.
• Lack of Technical Analysis: Experts point to a lack of technical analysis and feasibility studies, raising concerns about the potential negative impact on access to higher education.
• Autonomy Concerns: The proposal is seen as infringing on university autonomy, particularly the academic autonomy of determining admission criteria.
• Curriculum Issues: Adding another semester with repeated courses (e.g., basic math, biology) would lengthen academic programs, contradicting the need for shorter, job-oriented programs.

Ricardo Cuenca, former Minister of Education, notes that instead of improving access, this might add another barrier. The Pacto por la Educación de Calidad highlights the need to improve secondary education and increase public university funding and scholarships.