Maria Valeria Guerrero ‘24 (economics/global affairs) was funded through a Kellogg/Kroc Undergraduate Research Grant to travel to Colombia to work on her project, “Comparing Parental Perceptions and Involvement of Education in Rural and Urban Narino, Colombia”
My time in Colombia has been incredibly impactful. My perspectives of education and development have been challenged. My time in Pasto proved to be pretty peaceful and predictable. Interviews with parents of kids attending prestigious, private K-12 schools revealed similar patterns to the lives of the parents and their children. They often came from long lines of privilege. Mothers in Pasto often had the privilege of not working while their children were young. These parents can afford private tutors and nannies to take care of their kids.
Living in Consaca these last two weeks has definitely taken me out of my comfort zone. People in this pueblo are extremely kind. Most are also incredibly poor. I expected the schools here to be terrible. I expected kids to be out of school. It has been a pleasant surprise to find out that every single child I have learned about goes to school, and every single parent I have talked to wants their child to finish their schooling. Through my interviews, I have found that there is a desire for children to finish their primary and secondary education and pursue higher education, but obstacles like financial constraints are the primary reason for why children in Consaca are not able to do so. I have learned through interviews of parents and teachers in the area that the government does provide many opportunities and scholarships for children to pursue higher education, but it is mainly kids whose parents are a little bit better off or who have family members who have already gone on to higher education that are able to take advantage of these types of opportunities.
During the time I have not been doing interviews or transcribing them, I was able to go to museums that showcase the history and culture of the area, including the museum of the Carnaval de Negros y Blancos, which is a carnival that celebrates the diversity of the area and stems from celebrations held by slaves in the past. I have learned about the indigenous people of the area. I have also been exposed to the very complicated political situation of the country and the area. While I was in Consaca, there was a blockade by the truckers of the region into Pasto. It has now been lifted. Although it is not within the topic of my research, the political instability of Colombia and how it affects the economy and social cohesion has been of great interest to me.