The representative of the Historical Pact Susana Gómez Castaño, known as Susana Boreal, sparked controversy for her recent statements about the educational system in Colombia, in which she maintained that forcing a child to attend school is a form of violence.
During a public intervention, the Petrismo congresswoman expressed her disagreement with the current approach to education, pointing out that the obligation to attend school does not guarantee the quality of learning, and argued that this can be interpreted as a form of indoctrination.
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“I feel that forcing a child to attend school seems to me to be a form of violence and a very obvious form of indoctrination,” said Boreal, generating criticism and debate about his words. The congresswoman explained that the Colombian educational system is “very forced to pick up,” referring to the fact that, in her opinion, educational institutions often do not offer quality education. According to her, the conditions of the schools, such as lack of resources and overcrowding in classrooms, make adequate learning difficult.
Boreal also emphasized the psychological impact that attending school in these conditions has for some students. “Ensuring that a child goes to school or goes to school does not mean that it has quality or that it will have a lot of things,” he said, highlighting that many children feel unmotivated and end up getting sick or developing emotional problems due to the “very hostile” environments that, according to her, prevail in many educational institutions.
The congresswoman also questioned the infrastructure and the current teaching model, mentioning the common practice of having “40 or 50 children in a classroom with a teacher without guarantees,” which she considers a clear manifestation of the lack of resources and of an educational system that does not meet the expectations of quality and well-being for students. “We claim that this is quality education and what we are really doing is preparing,” he concluded.
Susana Boreal’s statements divided public opinion; While some support his criticism of the educational system and the need to profoundly reform education in Colombia, others consider it a radical and irresponsible position, which could delegitimize the importance of compulsory education for the development of children and adolescents in the country.
It should be noted that forcing a child to attend school is not violence or indoctrination, but rather the fulfillment of a fundamental right recognized in various international and national regulations. According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, primary education should be free and compulsory, as it guarantees access to learning opportunities and comprehensive development. Besides, The Code of Childhood and Adolescence of Colombia establishes the mandatory nature of education for children and adolescents, ensuring that this process is not only a right, but a necessity for their physical, emotional and social development.
The right to education seeks access to classrooms and the assurance of inclusive, equitable and quality education, as established by Sustainable Development Goal number 4. In this sense, access to education requires guaranteeing that all Children, regardless of their origin or economic situation, have a safe space in which to develop their skills and abilities, contributing to their overall well-being. Therefore, compulsory education, more than a form of violence, is an indispensable tool for building a more just and equitable society.
