Shadow education as local education policy: how secretariats of education promote privatisation of test preparation services for the Saber 11 exam in Colombia’s public schools
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This article investigates how Colombia’s decentralised Secretariats of Education (SoE) institutionalise exam-oriented preparation for Sabre 11, the mandatory upper-secondary exit exam governing higher-education access. These state-procured services are conceptualised as shadow education, satisfying Bray’s canonical criteria – supplementary nature, academic focus, and fee-based delivery – while functioning as a publicly financed, contract-based modality. Operating beyond the core curriculum, these programmes often become mandatory through contractual mandates. Theoretically, the study is situated at the intersection of state responsibilization and privatisation; subnational authorities, under pressure to improve metrics, outsource service delivery while retaining accountability for outcomes. Methodologically, the research employs a documentary analysis of procurement dossiers (2021–2024), systematically coding service configurations, delivery modalities, and per-student expenditures. Findings reveal that local development plans mobilise public resources to improve Sabre 11 rankings, which are centrally monitored by the Ministry of Education. Despite significant data constraints – notably the absence of a national registry and the discontinuation of student-level participation surveys since 2012—the evidence demonstrates a sophisticated bundling of tutoring, teacher training, and curriculum alignment. This model effectively embeds shadow education within the public apparatus, illustrating how state-initiated private interventions are leveraged to advance subnational performance imperatives and quality assurance goals.
Source: Education Inquiry
Author: Jorge Celis
Institution: Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Language: English
Subfield: Demography
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7124417735