From Regulation to the Pedagogy of Dignity: Colombian Education in the Face of Conflict and the Violation of Rights De la Normatividad a la Pedagogía de la Dignidad: La Educación Colombiana ante el Conflicto y la Vulneración de Derechos

Abstract

This text highlights the urgent need to reform the education system in Colombia, which faces the challenge of armed conflict and rights violations in rural areas and ethnic communities. It argues that it is necessary to leave behind “empty regulations” and embrace the “Pedagogy of Dignity,” an active policy that focuses on the genuine recognition of students' rights and their environment. The analysis indicates that the conflict divides the social fabric and that standardization favors inequality in rural areas, which demands a pedagogy that takes historical memory into account. Furthermore, it criticizes the forced cultural homogenization in the “inclusion” of groups such as the Emberá Katio, calling for an ethno-intercultural education that values ancestral knowledge and promotes bilingualism, as well as pointing out the importance of treating trauma in early childhood through safe environments. To bring about this transformation, the Pedagogy of Dignity proposes a significant adaptation of the curriculum to specific contexts, the training of teachers as agents of peace and healing, together with the adoption of active methodologies such as Project-Based Learning and emotion-focused workshops to develop resilience and empathy. In conclusion, the paper encourages education to be considered the most crucial peace project, transforming the classroom into the first place of peace and dignity that cannot be negotiated.