**3. Catholic formal education in Colombia as a text that activates the cultural and social life of our country**

Education in Colombia is a cultural phenomenon that has several conceptions, due to the institutional autonomy established by the Colombian educational law. Therefore, the country has to be particular in individual education processes to train young people in each school at the national level. In other words, individual school has a curriculum that meets the basic minimum required by law, but the entire educational project is aimed at a particular mission and vision of the institution. An example of the above is the student profile; each school has its own different profile. However, these autonomous educational practices aim to converge on a cultural community project established in the general law of education of 1994 [8]. This cultural project in terms of semiotics could be considered as elements that correspond to the forms of life [9]. Thus, the country, by law would expect an education of citizens with high level of culture, respect for the other, and a person near to science and technology, among other points referred to by degree. Consequently, this should be the guiding thread in each institution and the way of life promoted by the legislation, a series of strategies that would influence all the practices of a social or cultural group of the nation, and at the same time, without forgetting that it is a type of educational action grammar, which is part of the center of the agglutinating projects of cultural life in Colombia.

taken force in the area of formal and private education. Concrete example is the data presented

present the current presence of this educational approach in 20 of the 32 departments of the

its metropolitan area, it was concluded there were 26 confessional institutions belonging to

surface of Colombia surpasses it in millions of kilometers, we can determine the complex number of institutions that in the country are educating with the principles of the church.

In the midst of this particularity of cultural organization, from the educational planning and execution, many young Colombians are immersed in a confessional educational process in which they experience a great diversity of institutionalized formation practices and that are coherent with the confessional way of life, for example, the Eucharist and celebrations of patrons or saints. In this course of actions, a repertoire of significant sets that contemplate social representations

tems associated to this formation according to the perspective of the learners [11]. This symbolic universe of what confessional comes into tension with the dominant educational discourse of the

To this extent, the world of life in Colombian education, that is, the world that is urgent and immediate to every person, is proposing a series of experiences and interpretations in the educational field presided over by the religion [12]. It functions as a frame of reference in which the feelings, experiences, thoughts, and actions of a large group of young people of the country pass. In addition, this configures practices of meaning and communication; in particular, this is an object of interest for the cultural semiotics and pedagogy focused on real practices. Therefore, the contributions of the study, from this dual perspective, are important in order to establish a possible response to the complex problem of the construction of senses constructed by young learners from their school experience and the relationship that they

Also, it is possible to extend the frontier of the knowledge on the subject in the educational semiotic field that initiates at the worldwide level. The interest with which the research started focused on recognizing the axiologies associated with the specific interests of the Catholic educational project that is configuring the symbolic universe, the perception of the environment, and the actions in the world of life of the actors involved in this educational project in the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga. In this way, it became possible to show what seems elementary and common, even already known, like the case of some concepts, practices, and educational projects; actually it is based on assumptions, values, hierarchies, and exclusions when they are put as reference of research study of continuous reflection and critical thinking,

In this confederation Catholic schools of private character are affiliated, official schools administered by religious entities are ascribed, and colleges of laity are also associated but committed to a philosophy inspired by the Gospel and

Landowsky refers to the imaginary semiotics recognized as a figurative component of culture that is used by numerous

The diocese is the Christian district or territory in which a bishop holds and exercises ecclesiastical jurisdiction.

country, that apparently, it is secular, that is, that it does not have religious principle.

maintain with the different actions both inside and outside of these classrooms.

it evidences unknown and even unexpected results.

2

3

4

Magisterial Church.

people and is part of the cultural heritage.

. In the case of the territory studied, Bucaramanga and

Education in Confessional Schools According to the Speech of his Students

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.72497

that are part of the horizon of cultural intellection and of the value sys-

, where they

177

and the

by the Catholic National Confederation of Education in Colombia, CONACED<sup>2</sup>

this confederation in the year 2015. If the surface of the territory studied is 1479 km<sup>2</sup>

country where they have 29 dioceses3

constituted of imaginary4

To understand these various educational practices and their relationship with Colombian society, it is necessary to go to a section of the history of the country, the nineteenth century, an era in which political domination was given in the confrontation of the only two political parties present in the country, the Conservative and the Liberal. When the government was in the hands of one of these, it totally excluded philosophy in the school system of the other. In this way, it is argued that before 1886, the time before Regeneration (from 1886 to 1930), the norm of the day was a compulsory education for all, free, and secular; in that period "The Catholic conservatives established private schools to preserve their ideology and beliefs" because the Liberals were in government power; "same happened during Regeneration, but this time it was the Liberals who founded private schools" since the power changed hands [10]. In 1886, the state completely gave control of education to the church within the moment in that it developed the new constitution of the country, and a year later, 1887, a concordat was signed on the subject. In these documents it was established that public education in Colombia should be organized in accordance with the dogmas and with the morality of the Catholic religion. The educational objective was concentrated on forming straight men for the territory through splint and morals. About this is said that:

*At the end of the nineteenth century … Pedagogy the body and soul: this is the intentionally of Catholic pedagogy … moral, good customs, obedience to the state, respect for authority, civility, patriotism, Freedom equality and privileged justice by a strong influence of the Catholic religion, which has been called model of Catholic pedagogy.* [2]

At this point it is necessary to clarify that this set of powers, governmental and educational, has been inherited in the country since the colonization. At this time the country had the arrival of confessional education in opposition with the education of the indigenous tribes of the territory. In the end, Colombia opted socially and politically since 1920 for the organic decree of public instruction (DOIP)1 , which manifests a free education for all Colombians and secular ideology; so that, Catholic education passed into the private sphere and appeared, apparently, in the peripheral space of culture, while lay and public education was located in the centrality of the system.

It is evident from the foregoing sketch that confessional education presents its own educational intentions, guided by particular values that is present and that is evident inside the analysis of different manifestations discursive above the daily life of the main actors in the religious schools: the students; according to the latest proposals of the semiotics on the matter, "courses of action where the horizons of dominant values become evident" [9]. In the case of the country, in recent years, the presence of educational institutions of a Catholic order has

<sup>1</sup> Originally posted in normal school. Official Journal of Public Instruction. Bogotá, Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of January 1871

taken force in the area of formal and private education. Concrete example is the data presented by the Catholic National Confederation of Education in Colombia, CONACED<sup>2</sup> , where they present the current presence of this educational approach in 20 of the 32 departments of the country where they have 29 dioceses3 . In the case of the territory studied, Bucaramanga and its metropolitan area, it was concluded there were 26 confessional institutions belonging to this confederation in the year 2015. If the surface of the territory studied is 1479 km<sup>2</sup> and the surface of Colombia surpasses it in millions of kilometers, we can determine the complex number of institutions that in the country are educating with the principles of the church.

forms of life [9]. Thus, the country, by law would expect an education of citizens with high level of culture, respect for the other, and a person near to science and technology, among other points referred to by degree. Consequently, this should be the guiding thread in each institution and the way of life promoted by the legislation, a series of strategies that would influence all the practices of a social or cultural group of the nation, and at the same time, without forgetting that it is a type of educational action grammar, which is part of the center

To understand these various educational practices and their relationship with Colombian society, it is necessary to go to a section of the history of the country, the nineteenth century, an era in which political domination was given in the confrontation of the only two political parties present in the country, the Conservative and the Liberal. When the government was in the hands of one of these, it totally excluded philosophy in the school system of the other. In this way, it is argued that before 1886, the time before Regeneration (from 1886 to 1930), the norm of the day was a compulsory education for all, free, and secular; in that period "The Catholic conservatives established private schools to preserve their ideology and beliefs" because the Liberals were in government power; "same happened during Regeneration, but this time it was the Liberals who founded private schools" since the power changed hands [10]. In 1886, the state completely gave control of education to the church within the moment in that it developed the new constitution of the country, and a year later, 1887, a concordat was signed on the subject. In these documents it was established that public education in Colombia should be organized in accordance with the dogmas and with the morality of the Catholic religion. The educational objective was concentrated on forming straight men for the

*At the end of the nineteenth century … Pedagogy the body and soul: this is the intentionally of Catholic pedagogy … moral, good customs, obedience to the state, respect for authority, civility, patriotism, Freedom equality and privileged justice by a strong influence of the Catholic religion, which has been* 

At this point it is necessary to clarify that this set of powers, governmental and educational, has been inherited in the country since the colonization. At this time the country had the arrival of confessional education in opposition with the education of the indigenous tribes of the territory. In the end, Colombia opted socially and politically since 1920 for the organic decree of public

that, Catholic education passed into the private sphere and appeared, apparently, in the peripheral space of culture, while lay and public education was located in the centrality of the system. It is evident from the foregoing sketch that confessional education presents its own educational intentions, guided by particular values that is present and that is evident inside the analysis of different manifestations discursive above the daily life of the main actors in the religious schools: the students; according to the latest proposals of the semiotics on the matter, "courses of action where the horizons of dominant values become evident" [9]. In the case of the country, in recent years, the presence of educational institutions of a Catholic order has

Originally posted in normal school. Official Journal of Public Instruction. Bogotá, Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of January 1871

, which manifests a free education for all Colombians and secular ideology; so

of the agglutinating projects of cultural life in Colombia.

176 New Pedagogical Challenges in the 21st Century - Contributions of Research in Education

territory through splint and morals. About this is said that:

*called model of Catholic pedagogy.* [2]

instruction (DOIP)1

1

In the midst of this particularity of cultural organization, from the educational planning and execution, many young Colombians are immersed in a confessional educational process in which they experience a great diversity of institutionalized formation practices and that are coherent with the confessional way of life, for example, the Eucharist and celebrations of patrons or saints. In this course of actions, a repertoire of significant sets that contemplate social representations constituted of imaginary4 that are part of the horizon of cultural intellection and of the value systems associated to this formation according to the perspective of the learners [11]. This symbolic universe of what confessional comes into tension with the dominant educational discourse of the country, that apparently, it is secular, that is, that it does not have religious principle.

To this extent, the world of life in Colombian education, that is, the world that is urgent and immediate to every person, is proposing a series of experiences and interpretations in the educational field presided over by the religion [12]. It functions as a frame of reference in which the feelings, experiences, thoughts, and actions of a large group of young people of the country pass. In addition, this configures practices of meaning and communication; in particular, this is an object of interest for the cultural semiotics and pedagogy focused on real practices. Therefore, the contributions of the study, from this dual perspective, are important in order to establish a possible response to the complex problem of the construction of senses constructed by young learners from their school experience and the relationship that they maintain with the different actions both inside and outside of these classrooms.

Also, it is possible to extend the frontier of the knowledge on the subject in the educational semiotic field that initiates at the worldwide level. The interest with which the research started focused on recognizing the axiologies associated with the specific interests of the Catholic educational project that is configuring the symbolic universe, the perception of the environment, and the actions in the world of life of the actors involved in this educational project in the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga. In this way, it became possible to show what seems elementary and common, even already known, like the case of some concepts, practices, and educational projects; actually it is based on assumptions, values, hierarchies, and exclusions when they are put as reference of research study of continuous reflection and critical thinking, it evidences unknown and even unexpected results.

<sup>2</sup> In this confederation Catholic schools of private character are affiliated, official schools administered by religious entities are ascribed, and colleges of laity are also associated but committed to a philosophy inspired by the Gospel and Magisterial Church.

<sup>3</sup> The diocese is the Christian district or territory in which a bishop holds and exercises ecclesiastical jurisdiction.

<sup>4</sup> Landowsky refers to the imaginary semiotics recognized as a figurative component of culture that is used by numerous people and is part of the cultural heritage.
