ABSTRACT
Colombia is a republic with a President elected by the people every four years in a power-sharing agreement provided for rotating the presidency between the Conservative and the Liberal parties. The Colombian Constitution establishes a federal system of government and provides for a parallel educational organization of national, state, municipal, and private school systems. The situation appears to be changing with new programs introduced by the Ministry of Education a few years ago, focused primarily on promoting rural education. Secondary schools continue this marked differentiation. Traditional Bachillerato, offered by most private institutions and obtained by upper and middle classes, leads directly to universities. The Colombian system of education has been characterized by tensions and conflicts between the State and social groups. While the first intends to establish a national education, the latter groups struggle for autonomy to design their own programs.
