Role of Education in the Reintegration of Ex-Combatants in Colombia

Reintegration programs promote technical and vocational education and training (TVET) for ex-combatants, with the aim of helping them develop skills, assume new social roles, and gain community acceptance. This in-depth interview study with ex-combatants from Colombia participating in TVET examined the reasons and motivations they had for enrolling in technical education, and their perceptions of whether and how TVET contributed to their social reintegration, a critical factor in preventing further violence. Findings about ex-combatants’ reasons and motivations illustrated that through education, participants seek to be respected and recognized, set an example for their children, experience a moral transformation, and develop autonomy. These findings suggest that TVET’s assumptions that ex-combatants are only motivated by material factors such as money and employment are too reductionist. Further, findings about the role of education in the social reintegration of ex-combatants illustrated that some forms of TVET promoted psychosocial recovery, and built social support. Conversely, other types reinforced isolation and segregation. This study further found that TVET overlooked ex-combatants’ feelings of stigmatization and limitations to socializing imposed by violent contexts. These findings suggest the need to complement educational programs for economic development with approaches that develop social bonds and trust between ex-combatants and their communities.