Despoblación escolar en zonas rurales del ecuador: análisis de la disminución de la matrícula en el período 2011-2023 en la provincia de Pichincha

Abstract

Abstract: School depopulation in rural areas of Ecuador constituted a complex phenomenon, encompassing demographic transformations, institutional decisions, and territorial inequalities. The general objective of the study was to analyze the relationship between rural depopulation and school enrollment in Ecuador during the period 2011-2023, considering demographic, institutional, and territorial factors, based on theoretical approaches linked to modernization, dependency, social capital, educational equity, and territorial development. The research was developed under a descriptive qualitative approach through a critical review of the scientific literature, as well as the analysis of secondary information from official sources. From this perspective, it became evident that the reduction in enrollment and the closure of rural schools were not solely due to changes in the population; Rather, they responded to political decisions marked by criteria of administrative efficiency, which overlooked the social, cultural, and territorial role that rural schools play in their communities. The results of the study showed that rural schools constituted a strategic actor for population retention, community cohesion, and territorial justice, and that their weakening contributes to deepening the processes of educational migration and demographic depopulation. It was concluded that addressing school depopulation required the design and implementation of contextualized, participatory, and territorially differentiated educational policies, aimed at effectively guaranteeing the right to education in rural areas.