Student participation in rural contexts

Abstract

In the diverse rural contexts affected by clientelism and neglect, the local communities
entrust their hopes for a future generation with greater social and political awareness to the
school—the only training institution that operates continuously in these areas. In this regard, the
article explores the significance of school participation shared by a group of social actors linked
to three rural educational institutions in the Colombian Caribbean. The research was designed
as a qualitative ethnographic study using three types of techniques: participant observation,
semi-structured individual interview, and focus group discussion. The results show that three
phenomena coexist in the school that problematize both the training and the practice of student
participation: adult-centered visions, authoritarianism, and repressive practices. It is concluded
that, if the school intends to contribute to the training of participatory young people, beyond
insisting on institutional mechanisms—as the only way to exercise democracy—it is necessary
to reconsider the authentic ways in which they manifest their protagonism and participation.