Walter Peñaloza (1920–2005) was a Peruvian philosopher and educator recognised for his contribution to the professional training of Peruvian teachers. He studied at the former Anglo-Peruvian College in Lima, today the Colegio San Andrés . Later, while working as a teacher on the same campus, he won the First "Gonzales Prada" Prize in 1944, granted by the Directorate of Artistic Education Cultural Extension to the best philosophy work.

Career

He was Rector of the National University of Education (La Cantuta) and a professor at other universities in Peru and Venezuela (Zulia State, Maracaibo). He inspired the development of the "Integral Curriculum", a curricular model that promotes a formation in values, and a greater contact between the university and the professional workplace.

His major contributions to Peruvian education were in the reform in university education. These include:

• The semesterisation of courses
• Unification of teacher training for initial, primary and secondary schools.
• Promotion of the system of university credit to enable a greater comparability between the curricula of different universities. This system is still used in Peruvian universities.
• Intensification of pre-professional practice.
• In 2004, he received a distinction from the University Garcilaso for having urged the universal provision of early childhood education to the Education Reform body of the Velasco government.

In 1975 he was appointed Director of the (now discontinued) newspaper "La Prensa". One of his important actions was the publication of the children's magazine "Urpi", where he put into practice his proposal for the formation of values. This magazine was considered revolutionary at the time, especially in the popular sector; its reception was such that initial publication runs sold-out. Its editor Gladys Pradó, brought together many of the best of artists and intellectuals in the Peruvian children's field, leading "Urpi" to become recognised among the three most important children's magazines in Latin American history.

He was made an outstanding member of the Order of the Palmas Magisteriales—a distinction granted by the Peruvian State through the Ministry of Education to recognise teachers or intellectuals, who have contributed to the progress of education, science, culture and technology in Peru.

Works

References