Participation and Communication Dynamics in Educational Management During Times of Crisis: Perspectives from a Community in Mórrope, Peru

Abstract

In a health crisis context, the sole local entity responsible for promoting citizen participation in educational management, the Consejo Participativo Local de Educación (Copale), is inactive. We take this finding as a starting point to explore communication and participation approaches in the educational management of a community in Mórrope, a district situated in northern Peru, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employing a phenomenological-qualitative approach through interviews and documentary analysis, processes of unregulated natural participation and communicative interactions were revealed, showcasing optimistic scenarios. These include the role of community actors in addressing various logistical issues: locating «non-contacted» students, distributing Qali Warma food or during virtual learning sessions. Nonetheless, negative scenarios were also observed, such as top-down communicative practices from the State. Lastly, the administrator’s perceptions from the Unidad de Gestión Educativa Local (UGEL) regarding citizen participation were examined, juxtaposed with observed reality. The gathered experiences underscore the significance of community engagement as a pivotal axis in educational management and invite a reevaluation, positioning it not solely as direct knowledge of local needs, but as a matter of social justice.