To Be Ñawiyuq or Work in the Mines? Educational Dilemmas of Schoolchildren in Mining Contexts: The Case of an Andean Community in Ocongate, Cusco; [Être Ñawiyuq ou travailler dans les mines ? Dilemmes éducatifs des écoliers en contextes miniers: le cas d'une communauté andine à Ocongate, Cusco]

Coronel H.F.; Piccoli E.; Rivera-Holguín M. · IdeAs (2025) · DOI: 10.4000/13g1p

Resumen

This article examines the expectations and decisions of families regarding education in the rural Community of Huacatinco, located in the district of Ocongate, in the Cusco region (southern Peruvian Andes), within a context of rapid changes. Quechua-speaking mothers and fathers use the metaphorical expression ñawiyuq ("with eyes") to express their desire for their children to receive a formal education. More specifically, their greatest aspiration is for their daughters and sons to complete secondary education and then pursue higher education, hoping that this will enable them to secure employment and achieve economic well-being. However, in practice, many young people forgo higher education to enter the workforce immediately, particularly in the informal mining sector. This study examines the gap between discourse, practices, and the structural socio-economic conditions that explain this phenomenon.

Instituciones: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú; Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco