Implementation of "Inspiring School Environments" through Community Participation (COBOG0009)

Commitment ID

COBOG0009

Commitment Title

Implement the “Inspiring School Environments” strategy by coordinating actions on security, coexistence, and public space through community participation.

Problem

In Bogotá, more than one million children and adolescents face multiple risks in their school routes and surrounding environments, including traffic insecurity, bullying, the presence of criminal actors, and deteriorated public spaces. These conditions violate their right to the city, limit access to safe and inclusive spaces, and negatively affect their physical and emotional well-being as well as their learning processes. The lack of coordination between the community, families, and schools has led to social fragmentation and hinders the consolidation of a culture of care and shared responsibility. Additionally, there is a recognized need to strengthen multiculturalism as both a pedagogical and social value.

Status quo

At the beginning of the strategy, Bogotá’s school environments faced multiple challenges, such as micro-trafficking, substance use, fights, gender-based violence, and urban deterioration (poor lighting, waste accumulation, unsafe crossings). Institutional actions were often fragmented and reactive due to the lack of consolidated information—systems such as SIMAT, early warning reports, the 123 emergency line, and corrective action registries were not integrated, making evidence-based decision-making difficult. To address this fragmentation, the School Environment Prioritization Index (IPEE) was created. This tool consolidates inter-institutional data on security and coexistence across two dimensions—risk factors and conflict indicators—to identify the most critical school environments. In these prioritized areas, the strategy promotes community participation among students, families, and local actors in diagnosing, planning, and improving their surroundings, thereby strengthening a culture of shared responsibility. Additionally, the initiative coordinates inter-institutional efforts to enhance security, coexistence, and public space, while generating value through the integration of georeferenced and sociodemographic information that informs decision-making and policy design.

Action

This commitment seeks to consolidate the “Inspiring School Environments” strategy across 92 prioritized school environments in Bogotá, through a participatory, collaborative, and transparent model that comprehensively transforms the spaces surrounding schools and kindergartens. Through pedagogical, community, and inter-institutional actions, the initiative will strengthen networks of care, coexistence, and well-being. The commitment reinforces the core pillars of Open Government, ensuring public and transparent access to information on progress, results, and resources, while promoting trust and accountability. It fosters the active participation of educational communities, families, neighbors, and social organizations in identifying needs and monitoring interventions, encouraging shared responsibility and a sense of belonging. Additionally, through digital tools and social innovation—including an interactive georeferenced map—the strategy will enable real-time monitoring, citizen feedback, and inter-institutional coordination, strengthening open and participatory management of Bogotá’s school environments.

How will the commitment contribute to solving the public problem described above?

The commitment includes actions to improve urban infrastructure, prevent violence, and promote cultural, sports, and recreational activities, creating safer, more accessible, and better-organized school environments. It fosters the active participation of parents, teachers, students, community leaders, and local authorities in developing sustainable solutions. From an Open Government perspective, the initiative seeks to strengthen trust between citizens and institutions by ensuring transparency, access to information, and participation in the diagnosis, design, and implementation of actions. The commitment also promotes inter-institutional and community collaboration among public entities, civil society, and the private sector, aligning efforts to transform school environments into safe, inclusive, and sustainable spaces.Ultimately, it lays the foundation for a culture of shared responsibility, public space recovery, and social cohesion, reinforcing Bogotá’s progress toward a model of open, participatory, and collaborative governance.

What long-term goal as identified in your Open Government Strategy does this commitment relate to?

This commitment aligns with the long-term objective of Bogotá’s Open Government Strategic Vision, which aims to address everyday challenges that affect people’s lives through collaboration between citizens and institutions. The “Inspiring School Environments” strategy contributes to this goal by improving safety, coexistence, and public space around schools, responding to the real needs of educational and neighborhood communities. Through active participation, inter-institutional coordination, and transparent information management, the commitment promotes collective, sustainable, and evidence-based solutions. In doing so, it supports the implementation of the 2024–2028 District Development Plan “Bogotá Camina Segura” (Bogotá Walks Safely) by enhancing the well-being of children and youth, fostering territorial ownership, and building a safer, more inclusive, and trustworthy city—one where open government translates into tangible actions that improve people’s daily lives.

Primary Policy Area

Safety Nets & Economic Inclusion, Other/NA

Primary Sector

Education, Public Services (general)

What OGP value is this commitment relevant to?