The National Assembly of Panama has formally initiated a structured process to develop a comprehensive education reform bill. Commission President Deputy Jorge Bloise announced the plan on Monday, January 19, outlining a series of thematic working tables designed to gather consensus from key national sectors.
This legislative effort will run parallel to any separate proposals from the Executive Branch. The goal is to draft a modernized education law for debate later this year, addressing systemic issues from teacher training to funding models.
Six distinct working groups will convene at the Assembly, each focused on a critical axis of reform. These themes include educational governance, quality and equity, teacher professional development, and financing. The agenda also specifically targets decentralization of school management and reforms to higher and technical education.
“We have a very clear route established for this reform process,” said Deputy Jorge Bloise, who leads the Education Commission. [Translated from Spanish] “First, with working tables that, during six sessions in the National Assembly, will bring together eight sectors. Each will have a voice and a vote to decide on consensus proposals across six thematic axes.”
Participation is designed to be broad and representative. Invited sectors include the Ministry of Education (Meduca), teachers’ unions, and national student representatives. Parents’ associations, rectors from public and private universities, and the private sector through the National Council of Private Enterprise (Conep) will also have seats. Organized labor will participate via the National Council of Organized Workers (Conato).
Parallel Paths to a New Education Law
Bloise emphasized the Assembly’s process remains independent from the Executive Branch’s own review of the General Education Law. The working tables aim to produce consolidated motions based on sectoral consensus. These legislative proposals will then await and potentially integrate with any formal bill submitted by the government.
This dual-track approach suggests a complex but potentially more inclusive path to educational reform. It reflects widespread acknowledgment that Panama’s system requires significant updates to meet contemporary economic and social demands. The asamblea nacional is positioning itself as a central forum for that national conversation.
Each participating sector gets an equal vote in the working tables. The design intends to prevent any single group from dominating the agenda. Finding common ground among such diverse stakeholders, from consejo nacional business leaders to teachers’ unions, presents the project’s primary challenge.
To inform the discussions, the Assembly will also host a series of expert conferences. The first is scheduled for the coming Friday at the Latin American Parliament, beginning at 7:00 a.m. These sessions will provide technical and international perspectives on modern education systems.
The launch of this roadmap signals a major legislative priority. With concrete sessions set to begin, the focus now shifts to whether these diverse tables can forge actionable compromises for Panama’s future classrooms.