TEACHERS AND RURAL EDUCATION IN COLOMBIA: PERSPECTIVES ON CONTINUING EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

This article provides a critical and comprehensive analysis of rural education in Colombia, focusing on the crucial need to strengthen the continuing education of teachers working in these contexts. Through a qualitative study based on a deep documentary review and interviews with experts in rural education, it identifies the urgency of pedagogical preparation that is not only contextualized but also promotes the development of competencies for community leadership. The findings reveal that educational policies have shifted from centralist approaches to decentralized models that, while seeking equity, often deepen gaps due to a lack of curricular adequacy and limited institutional capacities. The analysis delves into the bidirectional relationship between teacher training, pedagogical practice, and community development, highlighting that effective rural education must integrate local knowledge and foster the active participation of the community. Innovative models such as Escuela Nueva and the Tutorial Learning System (SAT) are examined, as well as the role of technologies and action-research networks in improving educational quality. It is concluded that rural teacher training requires an innovative, inclusive, and situated approach that empowers teachers as agents of change, capable of effectively responding to the complex educational, social, and cultural demands of rural areas in Colombia.