Challenges of training in relation to local development from educational institutions in Peru

Abstract

This article critically analyzes the challenges Peruvian educational institutions face in linking education with local development. Through a qualitative study conducted in six schools located on the coast, in the highlands, and in the rainforest, structural, pedagogical, and managerial obstacles were identified. The results reveal a rigid curriculum that relegates ancestral knowledge to folkloric expressions without pedagogical recognition. Intersectoral collaboration is fragmented: some institutions manage to coordinate with local businesses, but most development initiatives promoted by local governments do not include schools. Profound material gaps persist, such as the lack of access to reliable internet and the absence of equipped workshops in rural areas, exacerbated by socioeconomic factors like seasonal school dropout rates in the high Andean regions. Teacher training is also insufficient, as many teachers lack the skills to conduct territorial assessments, and systematic linguistic discrimination is observed. These findings reveal a contradiction between the political discourse on local development and the centralist practices of the education system, which tend to reproduce inequalities rather than overcome them. It is concluded that closing this gap requires systemic policies that include binding curriculum adaptation, territorial coordination with budget allocation, contextualized teacher training, and priority investment in rural infrastructure, recognizing Peruvian diversity as a pedagogical foundation.