Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

https://doi.org/10.62574/st4g5b92

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

tjosenavarro.est@umecit.edu.pa

Universidad Metropolitana de Educación Ciencia y Tecnología (UMECIT), Panamá,

Provincia de Panamá, Panamá

https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9554-2217

ABSTRACT

Rural education in Colombia faces structural challenges exacerbated by decades of armed conflict and

centralist policies that ignore territorial particularities, generating persistent educational gaps in the most

vulnerable communities. This research aimed to build a territorialised educational management model that

strengthens educational quality in rural areas affected by conflict. A socio-critical approach was used with 37

participants from the municipality of Tierralta, Córdoba, including school principals, teachers, students, and

public officials. The results revealed disconnects between national policies and territorial realities, a lack of

monitoring mechanisms, but also valuable experiences of community participation and alignment between

technical agricultural education and local vocations. A model based on two dimensions was proposed:

participatory-community and pedagogical-curricular, with sustainability mechanisms that position

communities as protagonists of their educational processes, demonstrating that quality rural education is a

smart investment for building prosperous and peaceful territories.

Keywords: rural education; rural extension; community education. (Source: UNESCO Thesaurus).

RESUMEN

La educación rural en Colombia enfrenta desafíos estructurales agravados por décadas de conflicto armado

y políticas centralistas que ignoran las particularidades territoriales, generando brechas educativas

persistentes en las comunidades más vulnerables. Esta investigación se propuso construir un modelo de

gestión educativa territorializada que fortalezca la calidad educativa en zonas rurales afectadas por el

conflicto. Se utilizó un enfoque socio-crítico con 37 participantes del municipio de Tierralta, Córdoba,

incluyendo rectores, docentes, estudiantes y funcionarios públicos. Los resultados evidenciaron

desconexiones entre políticas nacionales y realidades territoriales, ausencia de mecanismos de

seguimiento, pero también experiencias valiosas de participación comunitaria y alineación entre educación

técnica agropecuaria y vocaciones locales. Se propuso un modelo basado en dos dimensiones:

participativa-comunitaria y pedagógica-curricular, con mecanismos de sostenibilidad que posicionan a las

comunidades como protagonistas de sus procesos educativos, demostrando que la educación rural de

calidad es una inversión inteligente para construir territorios prósperos y en paz.

Descriptores: educación rural; extensión al medio rural; educación comunitaria. (Fuente: Tesauro

UNESCO).

Received: 02/03/2025. Reviewed: 11/03/2025. Approved: 01/04/2025. Published: 21/05/2025.

Research articles

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

INTRODUCTION

Rural education in Colombia faces structural challenges exacerbated by decades

of armed conflict and centralist policies that have ignored the particularities of

each territory. According to a study by Cetina et al. (2024), this landscape is

characterised by persistent educational gaps that particularly affect the country's

most vulnerable communities.

On the other hand, the final peace agreement of 2016 recognised education as

a fundamental pillar for building territorial peace, generating regulatory

instruments such as the Special Plan for Rural Education (PEER) and the

Territorially Focused Development Programmes (PDET). However, the

implementation of these policies reveals deep tensions between the central

guidelines of the State and the realities of rural territories (Pérez-Verano, 2025;

González et al. 2022; Williamson-Castro et al. 2017; Mendoza-Ponce, 2024).

Consequently, the municipality of Tierralta in Córdoba is a paradigmatic case of

this problem. As a PDET territory, it is characterised by structural poverty,

historical state neglect and the persistent effects of armed conflict, which

complicate the implementation of educational policies. This research therefore

studies these challenges from a critical perspective, proposing the construct of

territorialised educational management as an interpretative framework and

transformative alternative.

Similarly, the relevance of this study lies in its theoretical and practical

contribution to the field of rural education. From a theoretical point of view, it

proposes to overcome the limitations of technical-instrumental approaches to

educational management. From a practical perspective, it offers empirical

evidence on the gaps between formulated policies and territorial realities,

contributing elements for the design of more relevant and effective strategies.

Thus, this research aims to propose a territorialised educational management

model that strengthens educational quality in rural areas of Colombia affected by

armed conflict.

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

Theoretical framework

Initially, educational policies in Colombia had historically operated from a

centralised approach that ignored territorial diversity. However, as Malagón et al.

(2019) point out, this paradigm proved insufficient to address the peculiarities of

each context. On the other hand, Roth (2019) conceptualises public policies as

measures to evaluate government management, determining proposals and tools

generated from support programmes. Despite this, this approach also shows

significant limitations in rural areas, where cultural, social and economic

heterogeneity requires more specialised responses.

Similarly, Barrios (2024) argues that public policies emerge from cycles of

structured actions influenced by political processes that could accompany

decision-making and generate impacts on the solution of institutional problems.

However, in rural communities affected by conflict, this dynamic is complicated

by the multiplicity of actors, interests and converging needs in each territory.

Territory as a pedagogical and political category

From another perspective, territorialised educational management proposes to

overcome the instrumental conception of territory as an administrative

geographical space, recognising it as a pedagogical and political subject. Along

these lines, Guardamagna & Reyes (2019) argue that public policies should

be oriented towards understanding converging dynamics within territories,

recognising that the complexity of power is defined by social, economic and

political factors in territorial planning.

Consequently, this perspective involves understanding rural schools as collective

actors with capacity for agency, resistance and transformation, deeply rooted in

the social, cultural and political dynamics of their environment. From this point of

view, the territory is not a passive recipient of policies, but an active builder of

relevant educational alternatives.

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

Governance and participation in rural educational contexts

In relation to this issue, Hoyos (2015) defines governance as the ability to

respond to community problems, taking on the organisation of national, regional

and local actors to provide responses from different state models. In rural

educational contexts, this implies recognising the legitimacy and knowledge of

communities as foundations for building relevant and effective educational

policies.

At the same time, Avalle (2023) identifies three key elements for strengthening

governance capacity through public policies: social consensus, channels for

deliberation, and participation. In rural education, these elements are particularly

important for overcoming extractive policy-making approaches and moving

towards genuinely participatory processes that take into account the voices of all

stakeholders.

Educational quality from territorialised approaches

Educational quality is a fundamental tool for building a responsible society from

local perspectives, according to Pita (2021), especially in rural areas where

community life projects and territorial economies are nourished by education.

Malagón et al. (2019), on the other hand, argue that the constant development of

educational policies allows for the understanding and implementation of

pedagogical transformations capable of positively changing institutional realities.

From this perspective, quality goes beyond standardised parameters to be

conceived as a comprehensive process that strengthens social ties, rescues

vernacular cultures and contributes to the building of peaceful territories.

METHOD

The socio-critical perspective was chosen as the research design, recognising

that knowledge arises from the interactive dialogue between researchers and

participants. For this reason, the choice of Tierralta, Córdoba in Colombia as a

case study is justified by its status as a PDET, its representativeness of rural

Córdoba and the persistent effects of internal wars.

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

Regarding the sample selected, it included various key actors in the

implementation of rural public education policies who fulfilled different roles: two

rectors who directed rural educational institutions, sixteen teachers who taught

eleventh and tenth grade students, sixteen students enrolled in secondary-level

technical agricultural education, as well as three public servants belonging to the

Municipal and Departmental Education Secretariats and the SENA. Ultimately,

the selection followed functional representative criteria, ensuring the participation

of individuals with diverse responsibilities in the implementation of territorial

education policies, broken down as follows:

a) 2 principals of rural educational institutions

b) 16 teachers in grades 10 and 11

c) 16 students in secondary technical agricultural education

d) 3 officials from the Municipal and Departmental Education Secretariats

and SENA

Information was collected through open interviews, which were then analysed to

identify key aspects that would provide essential elements for the generation of

an emerging proposal in response to the research objective.

RESULTS

An initial analysis reveals a perceptual divide regarding the existence of rural

public education policies. Half of the principals recognise the formulation of

policies, while the other half consider that these are either non-existent or not

adequately implemented. This duality reflects not only a problem of institutional

communication, but also a structural disconnect between centralised creation

processes and the realities of implementation on the ground.

As one of the rectors interviewed stated: "There are very well-drafted documents,

but when we get to the practical application, we find that the conditions on the

ground are completely different from what was imagined in Bogotá" (Rector 1,

personal communication, 2024). This perception coincides with the views of

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

Cetina et al. (2024) on the inability of Colombian education policies to address

realities due to the homogenisation and commodification promoted by the

system.

On the other hand, the analysis highlights significant weaknesses in territorial

educational governance mechanisms. One hundred per cent of the institutions

analysed do not monitor the strategic axis "Quality education for coexistence and

improvement of quality of life" of the Municipal Development Plan, revealing a

lack of systematic evaluation and feedback processes.

However, valuable experiences of community participation are emerging. As one

teacher pointed out: "When we manage to involve families and community

leaders in the design of educational projects, the results are completely different.

Students feel more motivated and see that what they learn makes sense for their

lives" (Teacher 5, personal communication, 2024).

Configuration of various actors and power relations

In relation to the numerous actors involved in territorial education management,

the research identifies several entities with different interests and objectives that

have an impact in this area:

a) State actors: The Ministry of Education and the departmental and

municipal secretariats operate under administrative and regulatory

compliance logics.

b) Community actors: Families, social organisations and local leaders

contribute territorial knowledge and specific training demands.

c) Economic actors: The SENA, the local private sector and cooperatives

seek to link education with productive needs.

d) Educational actors: Rectors, teachers and students mediate between state

guidelines and territorial realities.

As a result, the tension between these actors is expressed in the unanimous

perception (100%) that SENA is ineffective in the transition from education to

employment. As one official stated: "There is a lack of coordination between what

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

we teach in institutions, what SENA offers and what the local productive sector

actually demands" (Official 2, personal communication, 2024).

Curricular relevance and territorial vocations

Despite the limitations identified, one significant result emerges: 100% of rectors

consider that there is alignment between technical agricultural education and the

economic vocations of the territory. This link represents an important

achievement in terms of curriculum relevance, although it needs to be deepened

in order to transcend instrumental technical training and move towards

comprehensive education.

In this context, a notable experience comes from a teacher who implemented

community production projects: "When students work in the school garden with

their families, they not only learn agricultural techniques, but also strengthen

bonds, recover ancestral knowledge and contribute to local food security"

(Teacher 8, personal communication, 2024).

Uneven implementation of peacebuilding strategies

With regard to peacebuilding strategies, the analysis of the Citizenship,

Reconciliation, Socio-Emotional Education and Climate Change (CRESE)

strategies shows uneven implementation. Only a minority of institutions

systematically incorporate peace education content, limiting the transformative

potential of education in post-conflict contexts.

Similarly, the results show that, despite the 2016 Peace Agreement, rural

educational institutions continue to face the effects of the armed conflict. As one

headteacher pointed out: "We continue to see young people dropping out of

school due to lack of opportunities, and others who are attracted to illegal groups

because they see no future in education" (Headteacher 2, personal

communication, 2024).

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

DISCUSSION

The results confirm the need to overcome the centralist logic that has

characterised Colombian education policies. In this regard, territorialised

education management proposes an alternative approach that recognises the

particularities of each territory and builds responses based on and for rural

communities. Each region of the country has its own history and culture, requiring

solutions tailored to its needs.

Then, as Espitia (2022) points out, reconciliation after conflict requires profound

processes of change, including new ways of teaching that recognise the diversity

of rural realities. There is no single model applicable to all contexts, as each

community forges its own identity. Therefore, the results show that the greatest

advances in educational quality occur when the community actively participates.

This coincides with Bustamante's (2020) statement on the importance of creating

bonds based on respect and dialogue between teachers and students.

Consequently, territorialised educational management proposes building

educational objectives, strategies and horizons in conjunction with local

communities. This requires valuing their ancestral knowledge and allowing

oneself to be enriched by their perspectives. Similarly, the results highlight the

need for public policies capable of adapting to each territorial context. As

Rodríguez (2024) points out, promoting peace education provides an opportunity

to transform realities through mutual respect.

However, this requires overcoming standardised visions and promoting

collaborative processes that emerge from each region. Territorialised educational

management proposes flexible mechanisms that truly respond to local

characteristics. In terms of limitations, it should be noted that this study focused

on only two institutions in a specific municipality, which limits the generalisation

of the findings. Similarly, the cross-sectional approach does not allow for the

observation of long-term developments in policy implementation.

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

PROPOSAL FOR A TERRITORIAL EDUCATION PUBLIC POLICY TO

IMPROVE RURAL EDUCATION QUALITY IN POST-CONFLICT CONTEXTS IN

COLOMBIA

Rural education in Colombia faces structural challenges exacerbated by decades

of armed conflict and centralised policies that are disconnected from territorial

realities. According to a study by Cetina et al. (2024), this landscape is

characterised by persistent educational gaps that particularly affect the country's

most vulnerable communities.

Consequently, the municipality of Tierralta in Córdoba is a paradigmatic case of

this problem. As a PDET territory, it is characterised by poverty, historical neglect

by the state and the persistent effects of armed conflict, which hinder the

implementation of national education policies. Therefore, this research studies

these challenges from a critical perspective, proposing territorialised education

management as a conceptual framework and alternative transformative

implementation.

Diagnosis of the current situation

The results of this research reveal significant disconnects between policies

formulated at the national level and their implementation in the territory:

Gaps in policy implementation

There is a clear division of perceptions regarding the existence of rural public

education policies. Half of the rectors acknowledge the formulation of policies,

while the other half consider that these are not adequately implemented or do not

reach the territory. This duality reflects not only a problem of institutional

communication, but also a structural disconnect between centralised creation

processes and territorial realities.

Absence of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms

On the other hand, the analysis reveals significant weaknesses in local education

governance mechanisms. One hundred per cent of the institutions analysed do

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

not monitor the strategic axis "Quality education for coexistence and

improvement of quality of life" of the Municipal Development Plan, revealing a

lack of systematic evaluation and feedback processes.

Strengths identified

Despite the limitations noted, one significant finding was identified: all of the

rectors consider that there is alignment between technical agricultural education

and the economic vocations of the territory. This link represents an important

advance in terms of curriculum relevance, although it needs to be deepened in

order to transcend technical training and move towards a more comprehensive

and inclusive education.

Theoretical foundations: contextualised educational management

From another perspective, contextualised educational management proposes

going beyond the instrumental notion of the territory as a mere geographical-

administrative space, recognising it as a pedagogical and political subject. Along

these lines, Guardamagna & Reyes (2019) argue that public policies should

be geared towards understanding the converging dynamics within territories,

recognising that the complexity of power is defined by the social, economic and

political configuration of land use planning.

Contextualised public policy proposal

Guiding principles

1. Contextualisation: Recognition of the territory as a pedagogical and

political subject.

2. Participation: Active inclusion of communities in design and

implementation.

3. Relevance: Articulation with local economic and cultural vocations.

4. Comprehensiveness: Training that goes beyond the technical to the

human and civic.

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

Table 1. Sustainability strategies based on continuous evaluation and feedback

mechanisms.

Strategic Component

Objective

Strategies

Indicators

Participatory and

community dimension

Strengthen community

participation as a

central pillar of

educational

management.

- Create territorial

education councils in

which communities,

teachers, students and

local authorities

participate equally,

ensuring that

everyone's voices are

heard, especially those

of the most vulnerable

groups.

- Promote participatory

methodologies such as

workshops, round

tables and open

consultations so that

communities can

contribute to curriculum

design and educational

decisions.

- Strengthen parent

schools with a territorial

focus, providing them

with tools to actively

participate in their

children's education

and school life, as well

as fostering community

leadership.

- Percentage of

educational decisions

made with community

participation, broken

down by type of actor

(community, teachers,

students, authorities).

- Level of community

satisfaction with

participatory processes,

measured through

simple and accessible

surveys.

- Number of educational

projects developed

collaboratively, with

evidence of active

participation by different

actors.

- Number of workshops

and training sessions

held to strengthen

parent schools.

Pedagogical and

curricular dimension

Design curricula that

connect local

knowledge, technical

skills and citizenship

training, responding to

the needs of the

context.

- Incorporate ancestral

knowledge and local

knowledge into the

curriculum through

practical activities,

educational materials,

and projects that reflect

the cultural identity of

each region.

- Strengthen technical

agricultural education

with an agroecological

approach, integrating

sustainable practices,

local productive projects

and partnerships with

rural organisations so

that students can apply

what they have learned

in their communities.

- Include education for

peace and

reconciliation in all

areas of the curriculum,

addressing issues such

as conflict resolution,

human rights, cultural

diversity and historical

memory, in order to

- Percentage of

curricula that integrate

local and ancestral

knowledge, evaluated

through participatory

reviews.

- Number of technical

agricultural

programmes

implemented with an

agroecological

approach, including

sustainable production

projects.

- Level of perception of

inclusion and

reconciliation in

educational

communities, measured

through surveys and

interviews with

students, teachers and

families.

- Number of educational

materials developed

that include local

knowledge and peace

education.

- Number of

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

build a more just and

inclusive society.

partnerships

established with rural

and community

organisations to

strengthen technical

education.

Source: Own elaboration (2025).

The proposal presented in Table 1 goes beyond what has traditionally been

proposed in our country's educational policies. It is not just a matter of designing

another programme to be implemented from Bogotá, but of building something

different: a model where rural communities are the protagonists of their

educational process, where ancestral knowledge has the same value as technical

knowledge, and where sustainability does not depend solely on the will of

temporary governments.

When we talk about the participatory and community dimension, we are

proposing something that sounds simple but is profoundly transformative in our

Colombian context. The proposed territorial education councils are not mere

committees that meet occasionally to validate decisions that have already been

made. They are spaces where the opinion of the community leader who knows

every family in the village carries the same weight as that of the head teacher or

the education secretary.

This proposal recognises something that we sometimes forget in government

offices: that rural communities have survived decades of state neglect precisely

because they have developed their own ways of organising themselves, solving

their problems and caring for their children and young people. The indicators

proposed, such as the percentage of decisions made with community

participation, are not just figures in a report, but thermometers that will tell us

whether we are really fulfilling the promise of giving back the leading role to those

who have always been the guardians of education in rural areas: the rural families

themselves.

Education transcends school walls and begins in the family unit. Empowering

parents with educational tools ensures lifelong learning beyond temporary

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

policies. A mother educated in her role as a teacher is the most consistent source

of education, more so than temporary measures.

Territorial wisdom in the curriculum

This curricular dimension touches a deep chord in our educational reality. For

generations, rural children studied with materials that were foreign to their reality,

with examples that were unfamiliar to their daily lives. A student in Tierralta who

learns mathematics by calculating fares that are non-existent for him receives an

education that is far removed from his environment.

This proposal does not folklorise education by incorporating ancestral and local

knowledge, but rather recognises that farmers who are able to predict the weather

by observing clouds and moon phases possess scientific knowledge that is

combined with meteorology and astronomy in textbooks.

The agroecological approach to technical agricultural training represents a smart

commitment to sustainability. Instead of training technicians to reproduce

production models dependent on imported agrochemicals, we are talking about

young people learning to produce cleanly, to care for the land they inherited from

their ancestors and which they will pass on to their children. This is not romantic

or idealistic; it is deeply practical and strategic for territories that have suffered

the effects of intensive agriculture and extractivism.

The education for peace that is proposed as a cross-cutting theme throughout

this proposal is particularly relevant in territories such as Tierralta, where the

traces of armed conflict are still present in the collective memory. It is not a

question of adding another lecture on peace, but rather of ensuring that the entire

educational experience is permeated by respect for difference, dialogue as a

method of resolving disagreements and the collective construction of alternatives

for a dignified life.

Indicators

The indicators proposed in this table have something special: they are designed

to be understood and used by the communities themselves. The "level of

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

community satisfaction with participatory processes" is not data that will be stored

in some file in Bogotá, but information that the communities themselves will use

to improve their processes. "Simple and accessible surveys" recognise that not

everyone in rural areas has a university education, but everyone has valuable

wisdom and experience to assess whether education is responding to their

needs.

The "number of pedagogical projects built collaboratively" tells us about a

different way of understanding progress: instead of simply counting how many

plans were designed by external experts, we are measuring how many projects

emerged from dialogue between teachers, students, families, and community

leaders. This ensures that projects have deep local roots and, therefore, a greater

chance of persisting over time.

Indicators related to the incorporation of traditional knowledge and perceptions of

inclusion and reconciliation allow us to track transformations that are difficult to

quantify but fundamental to long-term sustainability. When a student feels proud

of their territory because they see that their ancestral knowledge is valued in

school, we are creating a sense of belonging and preventing education from

becoming merely a way out of the countryside.

An evolving feedback model

The most interesting thing about this approach is that it establishes a system that

constantly learns from itself. The evaluation mechanisms are not designed to

judge or punish, but to identify what is working well, what is not working and what

needs to be adjusted. This is especially important in rural areas, where conditions

can change rapidly due to climatic, economic or social factors.

The "participatory reviews" mentioned in the table are spaces where the

educational community comes together to reflect collectively on progress and

challenges. It is not an external expert who comes in to evaluate, but the

community itself that looks back on its journey and decides what adjustments

need to be made. This builds local self-assessment capacities that transcend any

particular government programme.

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

The strengths of a model designed to last

This approach has several characteristics that make it particularly promising for

contexts such as Colombia. First, it does not depend exclusively on the political

will of the national or departmental government. By creating solid participatory

structures at the local level, it generates dynamics that could be sustained even

when administrations change.

Likewise, by incorporating the productive dimension through agroecological

technical education, it is committed to the long-term economic sustainability of

rural areas. This is essential, as quality education would be useless if young

people did not see possibilities for building a life project in their territories.

The peacebuilding component is particularly relevant for areas that have

experienced decades of armed conflict. By training citizens to resolve conflicts

peacefully and collectively build alternative development paths, we are investing

in long-term social stability.

Challenges to be taken into account

Of course, a proposal of this nature faces significant challenges. First,

coordination between different institutions that have traditionally worked in an

uncoordinated manner. Harmonious collaboration between the Ministry of

Education, the secretariats of education, SENA and community organisations

requires profound institutional cultural changes.

The second challenge is teacher training. The teachers who will implement these

proposals need to develop skills that they may not have acquired in their

university careers: participatory methodologies, incorporation of local knowledge,

conflict mediation, and working with communities. This requires ongoing training

programmes designed specifically for these contexts.

The third challenge is financial. Although this proposal is designed to be

sustainable in the long term, it requires substantial initial investments in training,

infrastructure, and technical support. This requires creativity to diversify funding

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

sources and to demonstrate to decision-makers that this is a smart investment,

not a superfluous expense.

A commitment to real transformation

Ultimately, what this table proposes goes far beyond improving a few isolated

educational indicators. It invites us to reimagine the meaning of providing public

education in rural areas of Colombia. It proposes moving from a model where the

state "brings" education to communities to a model where the state accompanies

communities in building their own educational processes.

This is a bold and necessary commitment for a country that for decades has

watched rural education reproduce inequalities rather than help overcome them.

The sustainability mechanisms proposed in the table are not sophisticated

planning techniques, but rather the recognition of a simple truth: the educational

processes that truly transform are those that communities feel are their own and

that respond to their needs, dreams and life projects.

If we succeed in implementing proposals such as this, we will not only be

improving the quality of education in rural Colombia, but also contributing to the

construction of peaceful territories where rural children and young people can

dream of a dignified future without having to leave the land where they were born.

Sustainability strategies

The inclusion of territorialised educational projects in municipal and departmental

development plans, so as to ensure their continuity over time.

Teacher and community training to generate autonomy in local education

management.

Productive projects linked to education that give rise to sustainable ventures.

Coordination with national, departmental and local policies in favour of rural

education.

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

Expected results

Short term (1-2 years).

Greater participation of parents, teachers and local authorities in educational

decision-making.

Curricula tailored to the reality and needs of each region.

Teachers trained in flexible and culturally relevant teaching approaches.

Medium term (3-4 years)

Reduction in differences between the quality of education in rural and urban

areas.

Indicators such as coverage, dropout rates and graduation rates similar to the

national average.

Inter-institutional partnerships to coordinate actions in favour of rural education.

Long term (5+ years)

The results confirm the need to overcome the centralist logic that has

characterised Colombian education policies. In this regard, territorialised

education management proposes an alternative approach that recognises the

particularities of each territory and builds responses based on and for rural

communities. Each region of the country has its own history and culture, and

therefore requires solutions tailored to its needs.

CONCLUSION

This study succeeded in developing an educational management model that

places rural communities at the centre of their own teaching processes,

overcoming decades of educational policies designed in offices in Bogotá without

understanding the realities of rural Colombia. What we found in Tierralta, and

what surely happens in hundreds of villages across the country, is that when rural

families, teachers, students and community leaders sit down together to think

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

about what kind of education their children need, proposals emerge that are much

more relevant and effective than any programme formulated by external experts.

The proposed model recognises something fundamental: that the woman who

knows when it is going to rain by observing the behaviour of animals has

knowledge that is just as valuable as that found in textbooks, and that the young

person who learns agroecological techniques by working in the school garden

with his family is receiving a comprehensive education that prepares him not only

to be a good technician, but also to be a citizen committed to his territory.

The great promise of this model is to demonstrate that quality rural education is

not an expensive luxury, but a smart investment that creates prosperous and

peaceful communities. When rural children and young people feel proud of their

roots, when they see that their grandparents' knowledge is valued at school, when

they connect what they learn with the needs of their communities, then education

fulfils its true purpose: to shape human beings capable of transforming their

realities without renouncing their identity.

The results of this proposal go beyond improving standardised tests or meeting

ministerial indicators; it is about building a country where rural young people can

dream of a dignified future in their own territories, where rural schools are places

of encounter and reconciliation, and where every village has the opportunity to

write its own educational history. Only then can we speak of a truly equitable

Colombia, where education is a bridge to peace and not a ladder to escape the

countryside.

FINANCING

Non-monetary

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

There is no conflict of interest with individuals or institutions linked to the

research.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To the rural teachers of Colombia.

 Cognopolis  
Revista de educción y pedagogía 
Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025 
Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia 
Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia 
José Reyes Navarro-Arias 
 
56 
 
REFERENCES  
Avalle,  G.  (2023).  Gobernabilidad  y  gobernanza.  Enfoques  en  tensión 
[Governability  and  governance:  Approaches  in  tension].  Estudios 
Políticos, 66, 22-47. https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.espo.n66a02 
Barrios,  D.  (2024).  Public  policies:  Conceptual  and  contextual  aspects. 
Prohominum, 5(4). https://doi.org/10.47606/acven/ph0205 
Bustamante,  M.  (2020).  Holistic  education  and  values  in  higher  education. 
Conrado, 16(76). 
Cetina, W., Patiño, S., &amp; Ospina, D. (2024). The limits of educational quality 
in  Colombia: A  systematic  review  of  the  hegemonic  discourse.  Ciencia 
Latina  Revista  Científica  Multidisciplinar,  8(5),  10123-10144. 
https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v8i5.14401 
Espitia, J.  (2022). Territorial peacebuilding in Colombia: Experiences  of social 
organisations in  the municipality of  Ovejas, Sucre department  [Master's 
thesis, University of Caldas]. Thesis, Master's Degree in Social Justice and 
Peacebuilding,  University  of  Caldas.  Institutional  Repository. 
https://repositorio.ucaldas.edu.co/handle/ucaldas/18134 
González , V. M., Quiceno Serna, Y., Correa Carmona, D., Vélez Taborda, Y. J., 
& Montoya Ocampo, L. M. (2022). The novice teacher and the teaching of 
natural sciences in rural contexts. Praxis &amp; Saber, 13(34), 120-137. 
https://doi.org/10.19053/22160159.v13.n34.2022.14162 
Guardamagna,  M.,  &amp;  Reyes,  M.  (2019).  The  challenge  of  implementing 
participatory public policies for territorial development. Economy, Society 
and Territory, 19(59). 
Hoyos,  J.  (2015).  Territorial  democratic  governance:  An  analytical  and 
quantitative  approach.  Thesis,  Universidad  del  Rosario.  Institutional 
Repository. https://doi.org/10.48713/10336_10673 
Malagón, L., Rodríguez, L., & Machado, D. (2019). Educational public policies 
and  quality  assurance  in  higher  education.  Journal  of  Latin  American 
Education History, 21(32). https://doi.org/10.19053/01227238.4999 
Mendoza-Ponce,  F.  W.  (2024).  The  quality  of  education  in  rural  areas:  A 
systematic review  2017-2023.  Episteme Koinonía.  Electronic Journal of 
Education,  Humanities,  Arts  and  Fine  Arts,  7(Suppl.  1),  150-167. 
https://doi.org/10.35381/e.k.v7i1.3727 
Pérez-Verano , J. (2025). Rural Higher Education in Colombia: A documentary 
review.  Education, 34(66),  29-48. 
https://doi.org/10.18800/educacion.202501.a002 
Pita,  B.  (2021).  Public  policies  and  educational  management:  Between  the 
formulation and implementation of educational policies. Civilizar, 20(39). 
https://doi.org/10.22518/jour.ccsh/2020.2a09 

Cognopolis

Revista de educción y pedagogía

Vol. 3(2), 38-57 2025

Calidad educativa en las zonas rurales en época de conflicto en Colombia

Educational quality in rural areas during times of conflict in Colombia

José Reyes Navarro-Arias

Rodríguez, M. (2024). Analysis of public peace policy and the chair of peace,

based on the referential model proposed by Pierre Müller. Master's thesis,

National University of Colombia. Institutional Repository.

https://repositorio.unal.edu.co/handle/unal/86129

Roth, A. (2019). Public policies and public management: An analysis from theory

and practice. Management Studies: International Journal of

Administration, 5, 223-229.

Williamson-Castro , G., Torres-Huechucura, T., & Castro-Machuca, Y. (2017).

Rural education: Institutional Educational Project from a participatory

approach. Sinéctica, (49).

the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) licence.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/