:quality(85)//cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/T32M6L5P2ZH4FMKAA5U4N3QVFQ.jpg "Emilia Barcia Bonifatti: the initial training teacher who changed everything in Peru 1")
There education It is the best legacy a father can leave for his son so that he can have the tools to thrive in this difficult life.
That is why from an early age they are sent to the nest so that they learn the most basic things such as shapes, colors, to start writing and reading. However, there was a time when it was considered something to do at home.
Right there appears the figure of the Emilie Barcia Bonifatti, who will go down in history for being the pioneer of preschool education in Peru. And here is his story.
From a Spanish father and an Argentinian mother, Emilie Barcia Bonifatti He arrived with the new century on March 20, 1900 in the city of Iquitos.
After completing his school studies, together with his family, he travels to Spain, where he decides to study at the University of Madrid. Career? Initial training.
It was during this European trip that she met and studied several teachers who would serve as her inspiration for the future, such as Gregorio Marañón and Juan Ramón Jiménez, author of ‘Platero and me‘.
Moreover, her biographers say that Emilia was part of this classic of children’s literature, having befriended the wife of Jiménez, Zenobia Camprubi.
When he returned to Peru in 1921, together with his sister Victoria, they decided to found the first modern kindergarten, based on the teachings of the German pedagogue Frederic Froebel, who in the 19th century created pre-school education and the concept of kindergarten. The motto of this first educational center for infants was “all by love, nothing by force”.
After some time working with singular success in Iquitos, the news reached the President of the Republic at that time, Augusto B. Leguia who called on them to reproduce the new model of preschool education in the schools of Lima.
However, fate would keep them waiting the Barcia Bonifatti sisters, since on August 25, 1930, Colonel Luis Miguel Sánchez Cerro made a coup and overthrew the then president Leguía from his place. This put an unexpected pause on the project.
Emilia and Victoria therefore chose to continue working in their native Iquitos and played an important role in the creation of the program. “The drop of milk” (This is where the future mayor of Lima, Alfonso Barrantes, would have found his idea for the “Glass of milk”).
In the original program, the Barcia sisters picked up all the kids in town who were homeless. Then they were responsible for giving them food and education. Thus, they became the pioneers of offer breakfasts to all school children. A concept that survives to this day thanks to the state program Qali Warma.
The future was in the capital and Emilia Barcia knew it very well, because despite the Sánchez Cerro’s coupShe always arrived in Lima with her sister and, with the help of other teachers and mothers who learned of her arrival, they settled in the gardens of Parque de la Reserva to begin giving lessons.
His first tools were six mats that served as chairs and tables. Although you are “They weren’t necessary if we had the green grass as carpet and the beautiful trees and flowering plants as colorful walls,” as Emilia wrote in her diary.
Thanks to their commendable work, Emilia and Victoria came to be received at the Government Palace itself, where they went with their children and were received with “candies, sodas and toys”as Emilia will tell later.
The formal visit was returned shortly after, after Sánchez Cerro himself went to see the children who, enthused by their own innocence, they showed him all their advances.
At that time, Emilia declared to the press: “It was necessary to communicate through the authorities the reality of the kindergarten as a urgent need in our public education
Until their trip through Lima finally had the result they were looking for. It happens that the May 25, 1931 The first Peruvian state kindergarten was officially inaugurated. Since then, this date has been remembered as the Initial Education Day in Peru.
This place was located in an old house across from the Saint Therese Church, José Díaz Street. The same which is located a few meters from the National Stadium. Currently, the aforementioned school is located in the neighborhood of San Miguel.
Thus began his dream of creating numerous kindergartens throughout the national territory. And boy did they make it, ’cause these days there are already 333 of these centers throughout Peru.
In addition, Emilia also founded the first training center specializing in teaching children. The same time later would cause the creation of the National Institute of Preschool Education.
In 1925, the sisters founded the Departmental Council for Lepersmanaging to organize a kindergarten in the leprosy facilities of San Pablo.
Throughout her life, Emilia received countless decorations and the Ministry of Education gave her the Masterful Palms.
But as life is never fair to everyone, and after more than 50 years of caring for and nurturing the children of Peru, and already retired, died in Lima, May 9, 1986in a state of poverty and loneliness.