Esther González

Peruvian educator who created the first nationwide literacy program in post-colonial Latin America

Esther González (1902-1975) revolutionized education in Peru through her Escuela de las Calles ('School of the Streets') initiative that taught literacy to over 500,000 marginalized citizens between 1945-1960. Born in a rural Andean village, she witnessed firsthand how illiteracy perpetuated poverty and political disenfranchisement. After studying pedagogy in Mexico City, she returned to Lima in 1932 to develop her unique teaching method combining Quechua and Spanish instruction through folk art and music.

González's 1948 "Three-Day Literacy Kit" - a portable box containing illustrated books, phonetic charts, and locally made writing tools - became a model for UNESCO's global literacy campaigns. Her "Mobile Classroom" buses traversed remote regions, using theater and radio broadcasts to engage communities. By 1960, her program had reduced adult illiteracy in Peru from 68% to 32%, earning her the Lenin Peace Prize in 1957.

Controversially, González integrated indigenous languages into curricula at a time when Spanish-only policies were enforced, sparking debates that laid groundwork for modern bilingual education systems. Her 1965 manifesto Letras para Todos remains required reading in Latin American education programs. Today, her legacy is celebrated in the National Literacy Museum, where her original teaching materials are displayed alongside modern digital literacy tools inspired by her principles.