By Raúl Gavarrette O.
BEGINNING IN MANAGUA
In 1993, the Nicaraguan revolutionary government started organizing an important and innovative non-commercial linguistic project: the first Spanish teaching center to teach the Spanish language to all of the non-Spanish speaker volunteers, working in various rural and urban projects in governmental institutions and ministries. This governmental initiative was named Spanish school Casa del Español and was located near the Plaza España in urban Managua. In the late eighties the former Central American University (UCA, Universidad Centro Americana) opened another similar but commercial program managed by the University Language Department which would offer Spanish instruction for foreign volunteers, diplomats, religious missionaries.
PIONEERS ONE-ON-ONE TUTORS IN MANAGUA
In late 1980´s University Professors Raúl Gavarrette and Fernando Rodriguez started an innovative program for backpackers and volunteers: teaching one-on- one lessons at the students own site; they would go to wherever they were needed to teach. They became the pioneer private Spanish tutors in Managua.
NEW SCHOOLS IN MANAGUA
The unexpected victory of Violeta de Chamorro for the presidential elections in 1990 made many foreign residents to change their mind and plans, and most of them decided to leave the country almost right after Daniel Ortega´s loose of power in February that year.
The Sandinista elections failure in 1990 brought also the closing of the Spanish language program at Casa del Español in Managua. Two of the former Spanish teachers, Ruth Jarquín and Ileana Tiffer organized their own Spanish school called Centro Linguístico Cultural Tenotzaní in Managua while the UCA continued offering Spanish instruction for Managua residents who stayed in the country.
MANAGUA SCHOOLS CLOSED
Former Nicaragua Spanish Schools led by Paul Martin reopened programs in Managua early 2011 with no much success as in the late 90´s and soon closed. Other Spanish language schools in Managua in previous years: 1985, Spanish language program in the language department at Central America University UCA closed; 1991 Centro Linguistico Cultural Tenotzaní managed by Ruth Jarquín and Ileana Tiffer former Spanish teachers in Casa del Español in the 80´s. closed in 2000. Other schools; Escuela Viva in Managua 2007, also ended operations.
At present it seems that the strong Spanish school’s boom of the 90´s in Nicaragua has seriously decreased and come to a stage where some of the owners have decided to find other ways to do trading and considered closing schools. High price of oil has caused an increasement of flights ticket cost, and it is one of the facts for which a few travelers are coming not only to Nicaragua but to other Central American countries. No new schools have opened in Managua since 2022. At the date of posting this information, these are the Spanish language schools currently in operations in Managua.
CURRENT SPANISH SCHOOLS IN MANAGUA
Instituto Lingüístico Inter-Cultural
SOL Spanish school
