The Challenge
The Colombian government has recently instituted multiple policies to regularize Venezuelan migrants in the country, allowing them to access services and participate in work and education more fully. In 2017, the government established the Permiso Especial de Permanencia (PEP) to grant temporary residence and access to social services, including education, to Venezuelan migrants.1 In 2021, the government launched the Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelan Migrants (TPS), which grants Venezuelans the right to stay and work for up to 10 years, with a pathway to obtaining permanent residency. Starting in 2022, only children enrolled in the education system can apply to the TPS program.2 The total number of migrant students in basic and secondary education increased from around 33 thousand students in 2017 to 630 thousand in 2023.
The Evaluation
Researchers partnered with IPA Colombia and Juntos Aprendemos— a consortium funded by USAID aiming at developing programs to improve education quality in Colombia—to examine the influence that Venezuelan migration has had on Colombia´s education system, focusing mainly on outcomes related to learning and integration. To do so, researchers analyzed administrative data from SIMAT (the Colombian Enrollment System) and conducted a survey with children, parents, caregivers, teachers, and school principals. They measured indicators including migrants' enrollment, student retention in schools, academic achievement, school climate, expectations and integration of migrants in schools, reallocation of school resources, and interactions between Venezuelan migrant and Colombian students.
Results
Preliminary results show that Colombian public schools are effective spaces for inclusion, where Venezuelan and Colombian students report similar levels of trust, friendship, and belonging. Nearly all students have friends regardless of nationality, and there are no major differences in bullying or discrimination in early grades. Academically, Venezuelan students perform better in reading but lag behind in mathematics, while Colombian students with more Venezuelan friends show higher reading scores—suggesting that diversity can enhance learning for all. Schools have largely focused on teacher training rather than reallocating resources, with over two-thirds implementing activities to strengthen integration. However, reports of discrimination increase with age, and the persistence of negative perceptions toward migrants outside the classroom highlights the need for broader community engagement and targeted strategies to promote coexistence and equal learning opportunities.
Sources
1. “Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores - Normograma [RESOLUCION 5797 de 2017 Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores].” 2017. Cancilleria.gov.co. 2017. https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/sites/default/files/Normograma/docs/resolucion_minrelaciones_5797_2017.htm.
2. “Estatuto Temporal de Protección Para Personas Venezolanos (ETPV) | the Global Compact on Refugees | UNHCR.” 2021. The Global Compact on Refugees | UNHCR. 2021. https://globalcompactrefugees.org/good-practices/estatuto-temporal-de-proteccion-para-personas-venezolanos-etpv.
Funding Partner
