Another educational program worth mentioning in this assessment is called SAT, (Sistema de Aprendizaje Tutorial). This program was developed in Colombia, and introduced to Honduras by Bayán, (Asociación de Desarrollo Socio-Económico Indigena), a local NGO which was founded in 1985 in La Ceiba with projects on the north coast, including a hospital in Palacios. SAT is a secondary level program. It was developed thirty years ago, and based on its success in other countries, was introduced in Honduras six years ago. Its focus and real concern are rural communities, where the plight of the poor is getting worse. The program focuses on education and rural development, including themes such as attitudinal change, self-sustainability, heightened respect and value of local culture, critical thinking, teamwork, problem resolution and skills training. It includes both a rigorous academic program as well as community service and a strong, practical agricultural production component. The curriculum integrates five basic subject areas: math, sciences, language and communication, agricultural technology, and service. The SAT program is not just a presence in the community: it is integrated into the community through a participatory methodology. SAT students are organized in groups of 20-30. Each group is assigned a tutor whose salary is paid by the Ministry of Education. A critical part of SAT are the training sessions of the tutors, which last nine days straight every three months for six years. The students meet between 18-25 hours per week, roughly 4-5 hours a day. There are a total of 70 texts, and teach tutor is responsible for all the subjects at all six levels. There are presently 45 groups immersed in the SAT program, and the students represent about 90 communities. There are a total of roughly 1,000 students. What is impressive about SAT is the comparison of its students’ test scores with those of students of traditional high schools throughout the country. The Minister of Education was so impressed with the SAT results that he has requested BAYAN to expand into other regions of the country. The limitations of SAT are the resources which BAYAN has to support the program and the number of students participating in SAT. Of the 1,000 students enrolled along the north coast, some are from Gracias a Dios and others are from Colón. This is a small percentage of the youth at the secondary level in Gracias a Dios.
SOBRE BAYAN BAYAN (Association for Indigenous Socio-economic Development), is a small NGO with limited coverage in communities along the western coast of the department of Gracias a Dios. It owns and operates a small hospital in Palacios in coordination with the Ministry of Health. For the past six years it has promoted community-based education through the SAT program. As an institution, it enjoys strong local credibility, acceptance, and respect. It has a small administrative office in La Ceiba, and is committed to a long-term presence in indigenous communities in Gracias a Dios. BAYAN is promoting education and development in coastal communities where the crustacean fishing industry is active.
Entre las 7 recomendaciones 2 se refiere a nosotros. A decir son: 1. In education in Gracias a Dios, support intercultural bilingual education programs and initiatives, and support secondary level education through programs like SAT. 2. Promote and insist on local participation in all of the above, through the outstanding work of local NGO´s like BAYAN and MOPAWI.