Peruvian Education Minister Jose Antonio Chang Escobedo has publicly defended former congresswoman Tania Ramirez following her resignation from her board role at teacher pension fund Derrama Magisterial on August 31, 2026.
Ramirez stepped down from her representative position at the institution following intense scrutiny and criticism over official international trips she took alongside Chang. Speaking in an interview with Peruvian news station Exitosa, the education minister rejected criticisms surrounding her appointment and insisted she possessed all necessary professional qualifications for the post.
Chang stated that Ramirez holds a doctorate in economics, a master's degree in public management, and a professional qualification in accounting. He emphasized that her background made her fully qualified to occupy the position, describing academic credentials as the most vital requirement for the role.
The minister also clarified that the financial resources received by Ramirez did not come directly from the state. He stated that Derrama Magisterial incurs no expense for the government, explaining that the allowances paid to Ramirez were funded entirely by a private entity under the oversight of Peru's Superintendency of Banking and Insurance.
Derrama Magisterial operates as a private social security and financial institution providing retirement pensions, welfare programs, and credit services to public school educators across Peru. Although closely connected to the national education sector, its administration and financial allowances are managed outside direct state budget allocations.
Official university travel delegations
Addressing questions regarding their shared travel history, Chang dismissed accusations of impropriety as attempts to create a suspicious narrative around two or three trips where both were present. He explained that those travels involved official academic delegations representing Universidad de San Martin de Porres.
Chang noted that he participated in those trips in his capacity as rector of Universidad de San Martin de Porres, a private university based in Lima. He highlighted that the university has hosted the Chair of the Americas program since 2004 and regularly dispatches official delegations to international events.
Regarding her decision to leave the board, Chang described Ramirez's departure as a sacrifice forced by public pressure. He remarked that she had no legal obligation to resign, but acknowledged that the ongoing media storm was causing harm to the education ministry, the government, and Ramirez herself.
Public pressure and youth appointments
The minister linked the controversy to a broader pattern of opposition against appointing qualified younger professionals to leadership roles in public institutions. He argued that questioning young figures who hold advanced degrees risks confining public administration to a small, revolving circle of older officials.
To support his argument, Chang pointed to the recent appointment of Diana Gonzalez, a former congresswoman who was named executive director of the National Program of Scholarships and Educational Credit, known as PRONABEC. PRONABEC is the Peruvian state agency responsible for administering higher education scholarships and student financial aid.
Chang concluded that both Ramirez and Gonzalez hold advanced degrees, master's qualifications, and doctorates, making unfair criticism of their appointments unjust to young women striving to advance in public service.
