Having access to quality education is, according to the UN, the basis for improving the quality of life and distance people from contexts that perpetuate social problems. In Colombia, although the coverage rate in 2023 was 55.3 percent and an increase was recorded compared to the previous period, the results of the Pisa tests indicate that among the 81 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) we occupy position 58, an unfavorable indicator that denotes low educational quality.
To reverse this reality, there are several tasks to be done, however, in the model developed by Alianza Educativa, a non-profit organization formed 24 years ago by the Universidad de los Andes, and the Los Nogales, San Carlos and Gimnasio La Montaña de Bogotá schools, there seems to be a sense of possibility.
Diana Basto, general director of Alianza Educativa, explained that quality is indeed one of the great current challenges, and that the issue goes beyond the results in the Saber 11 Tests. “Education must generate opportunities for everyone, and to achieve this , Educational Alliance seeks to transform lives through a model that is committed to educational quality. This implies believing in high expectations so that students develop their potential to the fullest, learn what they need for life and build a successful life project,” he explained.
Precisely with that purpose, today it leads this network of 11 public schools in the towns of Bosa, Kennedy, Usme, Ciudad Bolívar and Santa Fe, in Bogotá, in addition to the Julio Mario Santo Domingo Foundation school on the island of Barú, in Cartagena. In total, the organization benefits 12,331 students, 7,000 families and has graduated nearly 9,900 high school students. One of the secrets of its impact has been getting families involved in the educational process.
“Our schools enroll students and families who believe in a model based on a culture of high expectations, a pedagogical model and a curriculum that encourage critical and rigorous thinking, the development of socio-emotional skills, and the unrestricted commitment to guaranteeing the rights of children and adolescents. This, of course, involves understanding the fundamental role of our teachers, who must also be prepared to address today’s challenges.”
For the board, it is also important not to overlook the socioeconomic contexts and realities that students experience, who are often exposed to risks such as crime, teenage pregnancy, consumption of psychoactive substances and abuse, among others. “For this reason, we believe in socio-emotional education and the promotion of physical and mental well-being as fundamental tools to accompany children and young people, and project them towards a future with more possibilities,” he said.
The purpose, he insisted, is to continue inspiring other schools with his model and continue working to put the student at the center of learning.
