The teaching of Philosophy in Chile during the last educational reform: the history of a struggle

Abstract

This article aims to present the fundamental ideas that were part of the discussion, in the last educational reform for the third and fourth year of secondary school in Chile; within the framework of the decision to remove the philosophy subject from the compulsory common plan, given by the Ministry of Education in 2016. First, we present the political and educational context in which this reform took place, considering the role that the Teacher’s Network of Philosophy (REPROFICH), played in this process, and the arguments employed by the Ministry Curriculum and Evaluation Unit, during this period.  Later, we give an account for the discussions that arose in this dispute in curricular, political and philosophical terms, which also had a public and an unknown media character in the Chilean contingency. Finally, we seek to analyse critically, what were the progresses for the teaching of philosophy within the framework of this period, and we briefly review what issues are opened after these events, in the current political and social situation we are experiencing.