Higher Education in El Salvador: Professionalization or Human Person Formation?

Abstract

Education is the means of humanization of the person. Its forming task values the person and guides the person to a whole development. In this way, the university is by excellence an academic community, which educates human beings through three goals: form persons, prepare professionals and do research. These three goals are intimately related and it is not possible to separate them. However, reality becomes different since throughout history these goals have come to end up its appeal in society. Nowadays the paradigm of product is dominant; as well as the fact, that mercantilism prevails.

Therefore, the study´s purpose is to help Salvadoran universities to identify and know the anthropological value of higher education and the fulfillment of the goals as means of humanization of the person. The research found that most of the universities´ missions and visions show an inclination to the professionalization and hard work to obtain high academic quality. The formation of persons is seen as a background; however, it is satisfactory to find out that an 89% of the universities are making efforts to carry out human formation although it may vary from one university to another.