Factors required for an educational program that meets the cultural needs of Wayúu children aged 5-8 in La Guajira, Colombia

Abstract

This dissertation focusses on cultural-appropriate education and the cultural needs of Wayúu children living in Colombia and Venezuela. Learning to read and write is a fundamental skill that serves as the foundation for an individual’s future learning and development, and, collectively, for a country’s social and economic development. All over the world, global processes have oppressed Indigenous people. Their culture and aspirations are not well represented in the way that education systems are designed. Education needs to be culturally appropriate since skills acquired need to be relevant for societal and economic contributions. This dissertation examines both current practical processes and theoretical models that promote culturally appropriate education and documents how these can be strengthened in policy formation. The dissertation question is: What are the factors required for an educational program that meets the cultural needs of Wayúu children aged 5-8 in La Guajira, Colombia? The dissertation is divided into four sub-questions. The methodologies of ethnographic and participatory action research were used to conduct this dissertation. The dissertation took place over a four-year period from May 2016 to May 2020. The dissertation found that the process of meeting the cultural needs of Wayúu children was related to the extent to which the initiatives were endogenous and contextualized. Several factors were identified for consideration by local and external actors in meeting the cultural needs efforts in Wayúu communities. Furthermore, the dissertation commented on the relevance of institutional development and policy implementation theory in curriculum-literacy-contribution to Wayúu communities.