Georgetown Americas Institute

Challenges in Education Reform and Policy Implementation

Vélez outlined the difficulties of enacting education reforms in Colombia, emphasizing the importance of understanding the country’s legal framework and political landscape. Drawing on her experience in national planning from 1991 to 1994, she explained how key laws—such as Law 60, which decentralized funding, and Law 115, which granted autonomy to educational institutions—shaped the structure of Colombia’s education system. However, she noted that these reforms had unintended consequences, particularly in the distribution of resources. Because funding was allocated based on poverty levels, there was little incentive for local governments to expand school coverage, ultimately slowing progress in increasing enrollment.

She stressed that effective reforms require well-designed policies and strong institutional capacity. Vélez pointed out that one of the major obstacles to reform is the short tenure of education ministers, often because of political turnover affected by unions going on strikes, which limits long-term policy continuity. She highlighted the need for better data collection, performance evaluations, and administrative efficiency to ensure that education policies translate into tangible improvements. She also underscored the importance of seizing political moments when reform is more viable, as pushing for change without political backing can be a futile effort.

 “Learning the proper way to develop institutions so that they can carry through with what they say is extremely important so we can have long-term changes in education.”-María Cecilia Vélez 

Expanding Coverage and Improving Quality in Primary Education

A central focus of Vélez’s tenure as minister was expanding school coverage while improving education quality. During her tenure, Colombia prioritized increasing enrollment rates by restructuring institutions, reallocating resources, and developing a comprehensive information system to track progress. Within two years, these efforts led to a sharp rise in school coverage, which helped build political and public support for further reforms.

Vélez reiterated the importance of teacher training and administrative efficiency in expanding access. Ensuring that teachers were paid on time and improving their working conditions fostered goodwill, which allowed her administration to implement further changes with less resistance. Similarly, engaging with politicians and unions transparently was also key to maintaining governance and advancing policy goals. Vélez concluded that while expanding coverage was an essential first step, improving educational outcomes required a long-term commitment to evaluating and enhancing program quality.

Higher Education and Labor Market Alignment

Turning to higher education, Vélez discussed the role of universities in addressing shifting labor market demands, particularly in technology and technical education. Drawing from her experience leading a semi-private university, she emphasized efforts to expand access through offering student loans and improving quality assurance mechanisms for educational institutions. 

She identified three key challenges in the sector: 

1. Bridging the gap between research and industry, as universities struggle to integrate innovation with business needs due to a lack of incentives for companies to invest in research partnerships; 

2. Developing relevant competencies by strengthening foundational skills such as literacy, teamwork, and critical thinking while ensuring specialized training aligns with industry requirements; and 

3. Improving technical and technological education, as many university graduates end up in technical roles for which they are overqualified, underscoring the need to enhance the quality and relevance of technical education programs.

Q&A Session: The Impact of COVID-19, Gender Disparities, and Rural Education

During the Q&A session, Vélez addressed several pressing issues in Colombia’s education sector, beginning with the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. She noted that while school closures disrupted learning worldwide, the pandemic exacerbated pre-existing inequalities in Colombia. Connectivity issues in remote areas prevented many students from accessing online education, while teachers struggled to adapt to virtual instruction. She stated that the resulting learning gaps remain evident today, particularly among students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Although tutoring programs were introduced to mitigate these effects, they were not always tailored to the varying needs of students across different regions.

Vélez was also asked about gender disparities in education, particularly regarding graduation rates and the impact of cultural norms on female students. She responded that in Colombia, more women than men complete their education. She explained that, during her tenure, programs focused on comprehensive sexual education were implemented to address issues such as early pregnancy. Vélez highlighted that being part of a conservative government ironically facilitated the implementation of these programs, as opposition often comes from liberal sectors with ideological concerns. By framing the initiative around civic education and competency development, the government was able to integrate these programs with minimal controversy.

On the issue of rural education, Vélez acknowledged the persistent challenges in providing quality education to isolated regions. Despite efforts to increase resources and materials for rural schools, logistical and security issues have hindered progress. She cited the displacement and threats faced by teachers in conflict-affected areas as a major barrier to improving rural education. Vélez stressed that greater investment in connectivity infrastructure and economic development in rural areas is essential to closing the education gap.

Finally, when asked about the role of teachers' unions in education policy, Vélez noted that while unions are influential across Latin America, their priorities do not always align with broader education reform goals. She observed that striking a balance between engaging with unions and maintaining policy momentum is crucial for successful governance in the education sector.