Bilingual Education in Colombia: A Historical Overview and Policy Development

 This chapter explores the development of English language teaching and learning processes in Colombia, providing a comprehensive historical analysis from the 1970s to the present. The evolution of bilingual education in the country reflects both national policies and the shifting socio-political landscape, which have influenced the quality and accessibility of language education.

Early Educational Frameworks and the Influence of Religious Institutions

In 1886, Article 41 of the Colombian Political Constitution mandated that public education should be aligned with the Catholic religion. During this period, the Colombian state did not establish specific regulations for school systems, curricula, or educational standards. Most schools and universities were managed by religious organizations, which had extensive experience in providing educational services. This arrangement led to a lack of cohesion in the national educational system, as the curriculum and teaching standards varied greatly across regions.

In response to this fragmentation, the Ministry of National Education issued Decree 080 in 1974, aiming to standardize secondary education and improve its quality. This decree introduced a flexible curriculum that allowed schools to offer various training tracks, such as humanistic, scientific, or technical education, based on the needs of the country at that time.

Secondary education was divided into two cycles:

• The first cycle, lasting four years, provided students with a basic academic foundation, including vocational exploration in the first two years and vocational initiation in the final two years.
• The second cycle, lasting two years, offered specialized training in fields such as academic, pedagogical, industrial, commercial, or agricultural baccalaureates.

For the first time, foreign language education was regulated, with a mandate for three hours of language instruction per week. This was an important step toward formalizing language education across the country.

The 1979 Decree and the Role of Foreign Languages in Education

To further advance the quality of education, Decree 1337 of 1979 was introduced. This decree emphasized the role of foreign language learning in broadening students' cultural horizons. According to Article 1, students were required to study English for two years, French for two years, and an elective language for two years during secondary education. Most schools opted to teach English as a mandatory language during the vocational exploration cycle (the first two years), with French introduced in the vocational cycle (the last two years).

Curricular Reforms and the Communicative Language Teaching Approach

In 1982, the Ministry of National Education, in collaboration with the British Council and the Centro Cultural Colombo Americano, developed a new Curricular Program aimed at improving foreign language teaching in Colombia. This initiative sought to address the low levels of communicative competence among students and provided a framework for modernizing language teaching methodologies. The new curriculum was influenced by Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), a method that prioritizes real-world communication over traditional grammar-focused instruction.

Despite these efforts, the program faced significant challenges. Many teachers lacked the necessary proficiency in English and were unfamiliar with the pedagogical approaches promoted by the new curriculum. As a result, the desired outcomes were not fully realized.

The COFE Project and Teacher Training Initiatives

To address these issues, in 1991, Colombian universities, in collaboration with international organizations such as the Overseas Development Administration (ODA), the British Council, and the Ministry of National Education, launched the COFE Project (Colombian Framework for English). The project aimed to improve the quality of English teacher training in Colombian universities, particularly within Bachelor of Modern Languages programs.

However, the project faced numerous obstacles, including differences in university structures, limited financial resources, and a lack of familiarity with educational research among faculty members. These challenges led to the premature conclusion of the project in 1996. As noted by Usma Wilches (2009), the COFE Project had both positive and negative outcomes. While it fostered research initiatives and helped educators develop their own research groups, the lack of proper administrative leadership and institutional support hindered its long-term success (Usma & Frodden, 2003).

Constitutional and Legislative Changes: The 1991 Constitution and the General Education Law

Parallel to these educational reforms, the Colombian society experienced significant political changes. The country was undergoing a process of restructuring its legal system and responding to calls for greater freedoms and rights, which had been restricted due to years of violence. As a result, a Constituent Assembly was convened, and a new National Political Constitution was enacted on July 7, 1991. Article 67 of the Constitution established education as a fundamental right and public service, underscoring its social function and the importance of access to knowledge, science, technology, and cultural values.

In response to these constitutional reforms, the General Education Law was passed in 1994. This law reorganized the educational system into three levels: preschool, basic education (primary and secondary), and upper-secondary education. The law also set specific linguistic objectives for each level of education, including the development of communication skills in both Spanish and foreign languages.

Curricular Guidelines and Resolution 2343: Standardizing Foreign Language Education

As part of the General Education Law, the Ministry of National Education issued Resolution 2343 on June 5, 1996. This resolution established general guidelines for curricular processes and introduced achievement indicators to assess students' progress in foreign language learning. These indicators focused on assessing students' abilities to communicate in foreign languages, including tasks such as recognizing and using simple expressions, describing personal experiences, and comparing different cultural contexts.

In 1999, the Ministry of National Education published the Curricular Guidelines for Foreign Languages, which provided pedagogical guidance for language teachers. These guidelines emphasized the importance of developing communicative competence in foreign languages, supported by contemporary language acquisition theories. The guidelines encouraged teachers to engage in continuous evaluation and adapt their teaching methods to meet the needs of their students.

Conclusion

The development of bilingual education in Colombia has been marked by significant policy changes and educational reforms aimed at improving the quality of foreign language teaching. From the initial regulations introduced in the 1970s to the more recent curricular reforms, Colombia has made considerable efforts to integrate foreign language education into the national curriculum. However, challenges related to teacher proficiency, resource limitations, and institutional support have hindered the full realization of these reforms. Continued efforts are needed to ensure that language education in Colombia meets the needs of students and prepares them for the demands of a globalized world.

References

Usma, J. (2009). The COFE Project and its impact on language teacher education in Colombia. Journal of Language Education, 34(1), 45-67.

Usma, J., & Frodden, M. (2003). Teacher education and the role of research in the COFE Project. Language Teaching Journal, 25(4), 200-215.