LAS POSIBILIDADES DE UN MODELO EDUCATIVO PARA LAS COMUNIDADES RURALES DE CENTROAMÉRICA

This research examined the Sistema de Aprendizaje Tutorial (SAT), an alternative secondary education program designed in Colombia and adapted in rural Honduras by BAYAN since 1996. Unlike conventional schooling, SAT emphasizes community service, dialogue, and holistic learning, drawing inspiration from both Freirean popular education and a spiritual ethic of collective well-being. Previous scholarship highlights SAT’s origins and philosophy, yet little research has focused on how the model is implemented under the pressures of traditional educational systems in Honduras. With support from CLACS and Tinker, I collaborated with BAYAN to design and validate a pedagogical accompaniment instrument for SAT advisors. Activities included a two-day workshop with 11 advisors, the co-construction of an observation tool, and two subsequent rounds of classroom accompaniment. This participatory process provided insights into both the challenges and possibilities of sustaining SAT’s ethos. Lessons learned include the difficulty of resisting the pull of conventional schooling logics (discipline, standardized checklists), alongside the value of collaborative, context-rooted approaches that foreground reflection and community. The findings can inform BAYAN’s ongoing support for educators, guide future research on alternative education models in Latin America, and contribute to broader debates on epistemic justice in education.