Critical Pedagogies for Reappraising Indigenous Knowledge and Diversity in Rural Peru

Rural schools and communities in Peru are rich in cultural diversity in Indigenous languages and traditions, but rural areas remain the most disadvantaged regions. Peru’s educational policies are neoliberal and have hindered opportunities for the rural population to receive a high quality education with a critical reappraisal of their cultural backgrounds. Within this scenario, critical perspectives in education have emerged from the voices of historically marginalised educational actors: rural teachers. Two rural teachers from small towns in Cusco and Ayacucho (in the southern highlands of Peru) participated in narrative research to explore their practices of social justice in education. The aim of this paper is to examine their practices through critical pedagogies. The findings reveal that a crucial role of the Indigenous language, Quechua, is in making an inclusive reappraisal of the local culture. The teachers sought to empower their pupils by applying Freirean concepts of critical consciousness and dialogue through creative activities. They acknowledged the role of parents and the community who value diversity and local culture and support their critical pedagogical practices in schools. In this case, social justice in education was addressed by valuing Indigenous culture and placing it in dialogue with Western knowledge.