ABSTRACT

Guatemala is characterized by strong ethnic differences, marked economic disparities, and widespread poverty. After thirty-five years of civil war, Peace Accords were signed in December 1996 by the major parties in the conflict, the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Army, the government, and the army. This chapter focuses on USAID initiatives in Guatemala since the mid-1980s, is based on an evaluation conducted in 1997. The authors conducted fieldwork during a three-week period; data gathering methods included semi-structured interviews with a wide array of Ministry of Education personnel, private foundations, nongovernmental organizations, and organizations interested in gender and bilingual issues. Major support for primary education by USAID was initiated in 1989, when it created the Basic Education Strengthening Project. In 1992, USAID decided to withdraw support from the education sector in Guatemala by 1997. The role of USAID in the promotion of bilingual education in Guatemala is widely recognized.