Chilean Ministry of the Interior faces scrutiny over ICT scholarship discontinuation

Academic Nicolás Jofré Vergara has questioned the decision by the Chilean Ministry of the Interior to discontinue the 'Becas de Acceso TIC' (ICT Access Scholarships) program. The Ministry, represented by spokesperson Máximo Pavez, justified the discontinuation by stating the program had been poorly evaluated.

Vergara argues that the decision lacks technical evidence regarding the current reformulated version of the program. He notes that the current design, established in 2020, integrated and updated previous programs like 'Yo Elijo Mi PC' and 'Me Conecto para Aprender'.

According to the academic, monitoring data since 2020 shows consistent budget execution. Furthermore, usage statistics indicate that a high percentage of beneficiaries use computers for studying, with 91% reporting weekly use in 2025. Vergara questions why the Ministry of the Interior is leading a decision on educational and budgetary matters and calls for a technical justification based on the reformulated program's performance rather than its predecessors.