Abstract

Education, as an instrument that improves the quality of life, is tied to the socioeconomic dynamics in which people live. This will determine the processes of entry and permanence in the school system and the subsequent training of human capital. This paper analyzes this relationship for Colombian rural areas in elementary and secondary education, through literature review, characterization of the rural environment and the evaluation of public policies for the 2006-2016 period as a contributing tool to the educational reach of rural habitants. It is concluded that this link between socioeconomic origin and educational achievement still marks significant differences between urban and rural population in the country. Efforts are required by the public sector to promote education as a life transforming agent.

Keywords: education; education public policy; quality of life; Regional economy