CHALLENGES OF RURAL EDUCATION IN COLOMBIA IN THE FACE OF VIOLENCE AND PARENTAL AUTHORITY

Abstract

Education in rural Colombia faces systematic tensions that directly affect the quality of children's learning. Among the most critical factors are the persistence of violence in conflicts, both within families and in communities, and the crisis of the family role, which weakens school support and shifts responsibilities that should be shared with the home to the educational institution. From a theoretical-critical perspective, the analysis is supported by specialized literature, official documents, and pedagogical experiences to reflect on the challenges these issues pose for rural schools. In Colombia, great efforts have been made on paper; there are solid laws (from the 1991 Constitution to the General Education Law), and major global promises have been signed (such as the Sustainable Development Goals). However, when looking at the countryside, the reality is different. Despite these advances, painful social gaps persist in access, retention, and, above all, the quality of rural education. Consequently, it is concluded that the challenges facing rural education in Colombia require comprehensive actions that transcend the strictly pedagogical, articulating sustainable public policies, family strengthening programs, and teacher support strategies. Thus, rural schools can be conceived as spaces for protection, resilience, and social transformation.