Secondary school in rural contexts: a pending agenda. Policies and programs developed at the national level (2006-2022).

Abstract

This research aims to describe and systematize public policies and national educational projects aimed at expanding and diversifying secondary education offerings in rural contexts, following the enactment of compulsory secondary education. This topic is particularly relevant within the framework of the rights agenda established by National Education Law No. 26.206, as well as within various international frameworks that shape the educational agenda.

In Argentina, ensuring inclusive, equitable, and quality education remains a necessary challenge, especially for adolescents and young people living in the most remote and isolated rural areas of the country. Data show that around 47,000 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 are currently outside the educational system in rural contexts (National Institute of Statistics and Censuses [INDEC], 2024).

The development of institutional, pedagogical, and rights-promotion alternatives that are aligned with local and community needs, with the specific and diverse characteristics of these contexts, and the implementation of actions that ensure equivalent quality outcomes across the country, are essential tools for fulfilling the population’s right to education.

The expansion of compulsory education, which recognized secondary education as a right for adolescents, has posed a challenge for national and local authorities, who must guarantee the necessary conditions for all young people to access and complete their secondary education.