ETHNOEDUCATION IN AFRO-DESCENDANT TERRITORIES IN COLOMBIA

Abstract

This research analyzes ethnoeducation as an emancipatory pedagogical, political, and cultural dimension, essential for the survival of Afro-descendant territories in Colombia. Through a critical and reflective analysis, the study examines how this educational model functions as a mechanism for identity reconstruction, promoting social justice within communities that have historically faced systematic exclusion and invisibility driven by hegemonic power structures. The study emphasizes that the effective implementation of the Afro-Colombian Studies Chair (CEA) and the integration of ancestral knowledge into the official curriculum are not merely thematic additions, but rather decisive pillars for the transformation of school environments. These elements facilitate a transition from standardized, Eurocentric educational models toward approaches of critical interculturality, where local knowledge engages in equitable dialogue with universal knowledge. The findings conclude that the true autonomy of Afro-descendant peoples depends on the convergence of the current regulatory framework notably Law 70 of 1993 and daily pedagogical praxis in the classroom. It is imperative to strengthen teacher training through an ethno-development lens and to solidify the bond between schools and community councils. Only an education that emerges organically from the reality of the territory can mitigate the State's historical debt, ensuring dignity, recognition, and the full exercise of rights for Black communities within the national landscape.