The President honored outstanding teachers and students at the Sarmiento Palace, highlighting perseverance, good behavior, and the role of families in educational development
In the context of the moral refoundation process that Argentina is undergoing, the national education system is once again aligning with the non-negotiable values of merit, discipline, and individual effort. The ratification of this course took place during the official event for Teacher's Day, held at the emblematic Sarmiento Palace.
The ceremony, organized for students of the first cycle of primary education from various schools and their teachers, was attended by the President of the Nation, Javier Milei, the Minister of Human Capital, Sandra Pettovello, and authorities from the Ministry of Human Capital, the National Library of Teachers, and the Pizzurno Palace.
The president, Javier Milei
The Head of State emphasized that the meeting place was not chosen by chance, but in honor of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, the great Argentine teacher who founded the National Library of Teachers. In his opening remarks, the president sincerely congratulated all educators in the country for keeping that glorious legacy alive.
During the day, children who were selected as exemplary students by their own teachers were recognized, standing out for their high grades, impeccable good behavior, and deep dedication. President Javier Milei expressed the immense honor it represented for him to accompany them in his capacity as both president and citizen, firmly proclaiming the primacy of meritocracy.
Addressing the awarded students directly, he stated: "You are in this place because you earned this recognition, no one chose you by lottery or by chance". The president emphasized that the achievement was the exclusive result of each child's individual effort to study, strive, and behave well with their classmates throughout the school year.
When breaking down the meaning of academic excellence in everyday practice, the President pointed out that being a good student "means raising your hand to ask for the floor", "means doing your homework even when you want to play", and "means trying again when a math problem doesn't work out or when a word is hard to read".
Under this vision of improvement, he stressed that "as important as intelligence is perseverance", adding that "those who sit down day after day to try again will learn sooner or later". He also urged young people to lose their intellectual fear, stating that "those who lose the fear of learning, which is nothing more than losing the fear of making mistakes, continue to grow and improve throughout their lives".
In another key part of his speech, the President linked behavior in the classroom with the foundations of republican citizenship, emphasizing that becoming a good citizen starts long before voting: it begins in the classroom, the recess, the schoolyard, or the home itself.
Among the essential civic habits, he listed concrete premises such as "helping a classmate who fell during recess", "waiting in line without cutting in even if you're in a hurry", "not throwing the wrapper from your snack on the ground when no one is watching", "returning the book you borrowed and returning it whole and in good condition", "playing as a team and respecting the rules of the game even if the opposing team is winning", and "treating the new classmate, the one who is different, or the one who struggles a bit more, well".
Javier Milei explained the importance of individual responsibility, warning that "a country functions just like a classroom; if everyone does their part, no matter how small, together we make it work well", while irresponsibility leads to the square being filled with trash, the line becoming chaotic, and the game losing its meaning. He concluded that "being a good citizen is understanding that what one does, no matter how small it seems, also affects others", defining the school stage as true "training for life in society".
To illustrate the building of moral character, the Head of State used a careful architectural allegory: "character is like a house, and in a house, all the pieces are equally important, even those that are not visible". He detailed that everyday habits such as "arriving on time", "apologizing when you make a mistake", "putting things in their place", or "waiting your turn to speak" represent invisible bricks and hidden pieces that ultimately shape a great person. Additionally, he urged children to be ethical role models for their peers, emphasizing that "being an example does not require being big or famous or holding an important position; it is enough to do things right tirelessly".
The President paid sincere tribute to educators, stating that the Argentina that is to be built begins in the classrooms thanks to the teachers who correct notebooks in the afternoon and remember each student's birthdays, fulfilling the noble mission of shaping the leaders of tomorrow.
In the same vein, he acknowledged the silent dedication of families—mothers, fathers, grandparents, and older siblings—who support the tasks in every home. In tangible recognition of their work, each student received 1 official diploma (a paper with significant weight that proves their effort is recorded forever), 1reading kit, and 1honorary membership to the National Library of Teachers.
In the final part of his speech, Javier Milei praised the supreme value of reading as a tool of freedom, sharing a famous reflection: "if thinking is like fishing, reading is like enlarging the size of the pond where you fish". The president projected that the Argentina of the future will be built by hardworking, honest, and responsible people, advising children that "it is enough to continue being a little better each day than they were the day before". The event concluded with a heartfelt spiritual and patriotic invocation: "may God bless you, may the forces of heaven accompany you, be part of the Argentina that is reborn and becomes great again".
