El currículo crítico como práctica de resistencia: un estudio de caso sobre la experiencia pedagógica del Pre-ICFES Popular 'Los 12 Juegos' en Suba.

Abstract

In Colombia, education is marked by significant economic, social, and cultural inequalities that shape young people’s educational trajectories, particularly regarding access to higher education. Within this context, standardized assessments, especially the Saber 11 examination, have become key mechanisms for educational classification and selection. Beyond determining university admission, these assessments also influence pedagogical and curricular practices. Although standardized tests are often presented as objective and merit-based instruments, previous research has shown that their outcomes are closely linked to students’ territorial, material, and cultural conditions, thereby reinforcing existing structural inequalities. In response to this scenario, community-based educational initiatives have emerged in urban and marginalized areas of the country to challenge hegemonic models of academic preparation and promote more equitable access to higher education. Popular Pre-ICFES programs are educational processes grounded in the principles of popular education, collective work, and political commitment to historically excluded communities. These initiatives not only prepare students for standardized examinations but also foster critical thinking, dialogue among diverse forms of knowledge, and reflection on the social realities affecting young people and society. This study examines the Pre-ICFES Popular de Suba “Los 12 Juegos” through a qualitative single-case study approach. Originating in the Suba district of Bogotá, this community-based educational experience emerged as a response to structural inequalities in access to higher education. Unlike commercial test-preparation programs, it integrates preparation for the Saber 11 examination with critical pedagogy, popular education, dialogue of knowledge, and the recognition of territory as a pedagogical space. Built upon principles of non-profit organization, community participation, and political education, the program seeks not only to strengthen students’ academic competencies but also to encourage critical reflection on the social and educational conditions affecting young people from working-class communities. The primary objective of this research is to understand how critical curricular practices are configured and developed within the Pre-ICFES Popular “Los 12 Juegos” as an alternative educational experience to the hegemonic standardized curriculum. Epistemologically, the study is grounded in a qualitative, critical, and interpretive approach aimed at producing a situated understanding of the pedagogical, political, and territorial relationships that shape this educational experience. The findings contribute to the fields of critical pedagogy, curriculum studies, and popular education by analyzing curriculum as a social, political, and cultural practice under constant negotiation. Furthermore, the study highlights community-based alternatives that promote educational justice and expands discussions on critical curriculum, curricular justice, and pedagogical territoriality in the Colombian context.