Evaluation Criteria for Gender Equity in Secondary Education A Pluralistic Approach from Education Policy in Córdoba, Colombia

Abstract

This study examines the persistent challenges around gender equity and equality in the secondary education system in the department of Córdoba, Colombia, based on the design of an evaluation model based on the pluralist perspective. The research is based on the recognition that gender inequalities in educational institutions are expressed both in regulatory structures and in daily practices, reproducing conditions of exclusion and discrimination that limit the full exercise of the right to education. From a qualitative approach with an evaluative orientation and through documentary analysis, the national and regional regulatory frameworks, including the Public Policy of Gender Equity, are studied in relation to the sociocultural dynamics of the Cordoba context. As a result, an evaluative design is proposed made up of dimensions, variables and indicators that allow assessing the implementation and impact of institutional actions aimed at eliminating gender gaps in school spaces. Among the main findings, limitations in the equitable use of educational space, the low representation of women in school leadership positions, the persistence of the hidden sexist curriculum and the tensions in the recognition of diverse sexual identities are identified. The study concludes that an evaluation from a pluralistic approach, which integrates the voice of educational and social actors, can become a critical tool for institutional transformation. It is highlighted that achieving conditions of gender equality and equity requires a sustained commitment from multiple actors, including the State, educational institutions, families and the community, in a collective commitment to social justice and school coexistence free of violence and discrimination.