Agustín Nieto Caballero

Agustín Nieto Caballero was a Colombian pedagogue(1889-1975); who, in 1914, founded Gimnasio Moderno, a prestigious private school, located in Bogotá. The school is considered to be the oldest new school in South America.

As a New School forerunner, Mr. Agustín Nieto Caballero travelled to Geneva during the first half of the twentieth century. He became a messenger, and many others came through him to educate themselves there on the new pedagogies. He was an elite member of the Colombian society, one of the most educated persons in his country. Mr. Nieto Caballero founded Gimnasio Moderno with other prestigious educators like Maria Montessori and Ovide Decroly. All his life he was committed to develop the so-called "New School", against the old Church-ruled Catholic schools. The Gimnasio Moderno was the first school without any control from the Church in South America. Mr. Nieto Caballero was the preceptor of illustrious Colombians that studied at Gimnasio Moderno.