Strengthening Education with a Socio-environmental Approach: Inter-institutional Collaboration for San José de Chiquitos

In September 2025, SAVIA, in collaboration with UCPN Santa Cruz La Vieja, FCBC, PRODECO, and the Bolivian Catholic University, initiated a crucial diagnostic study to integrate a socio-environmental approach into the regular education system of the Municipality of San José de Chiquitos. This diagnostic study, designed collaboratively and across institutions, aims to gather key information on the needs and challenges facing the educational process in the municipality, in order to promote the implementation of an environmental approach in educational institutions.

A Participatory Process for Reflection and Decision Making

The diagnostic model was designed as a practical tool for reflection, involving principals, teachers, and key local stakeholders in the collection of primary and secondary data. Through this collaboration, the aim is to develop concrete proposals to strengthen education from a cultural, ecological, and institutional perspective, tailored to the municipality's specific circumstances.

Diagnostic Focus Areas: A Comprehensive Vision

The diagnostic assessment is structured around four main axes, addressing the sociocultural, ecological, organizational, and institutional realities of the educational units. These axes will allow for the identification of the necessary conditions for implementing the socio-environmental approach, the exploration of strategies for integrating local and traditional practices into the school curriculum, and the evaluation of the schools' organizational capacity to promote educational actions for environmental conservation.

Diagnostic Objectives

• General Objective:
  Identify the conditions and strategies necessary to incorporate a socio-environmental approach in educational units, adapted to the cultural, ecological and institutional reality of San José de Chiquitos.
• Specific objectives: 
  • Analyze the sociocultural reality of the educational environment, rescuing local traditions, values and practices that can be integrated into the pedagogical process with a socio-environmental focus.
  • Recognize the ecological context of the municipality, identifying the natural resources, local ecosystems and problems that can be addressed from the school curriculum.
  • Evaluate the organizational and institutional structure of educational units and existing or potential alliances with other entities to strengthen environmental and community projects.
  • Explore practical ways to incorporate environmental education activities into school activities, promoting student and community participation in initiatives linked to local protected area management plans.