RURAL SCHOOL DROPOUT IN COLOMBIA: UNDERSTANDING AND ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT SITUATION

Abstract

The educational situation of children, adolescents and young people of school age in Colombia have always been the subject of attention by the government and society in general. Because of the importance of the academic training of its inhabitants for the country's development, this population has been the focus of the constant organization of policies that promote their continuity in the educational process. In this sense, addressing the problem of early school leaving is of paramount importance, and even more so when it comes to early school leaving in rural areas of the country, given their dispersion throughout the territory and the opportunities for growth that education represents for these communities. The purpose of this article is to describe and analyze the current situation of rural school dropouts in Colombia. As a basis for understanding this educational problem, aspects such as dropout theories have been used to contextualize this situation, the multifactorial causes of this school phenomenon, its implications, the public policies that have been implemented as intervention strategies, and some final reflections and conclusions on the topic are presented. This analysis is based on the methodology of Documentary research, in which texts, articles and documents related to the topic are analyzed in order to deepen its understanding, and it has been developed under a holistic approach as a way to approach this educational problem from different fields of information. The context of rural education in Colombia reflects the deep inequalities that the country faces. This situation is a determining factor in addressing the problem of rural school dropouts. Therefore, it is crucial that educational policies be part of a comprehensive development approach that seeks to address the structural causes that lead to school dropout in these communities.