Strategies for the Sustainability of Educational Projects in Rural Areas of the Ecuadorian Amazon

Abstract

The sustainability of educational projects in rural areas of the Ecuadorian Amazon represents a structural challenge that requires differentiated approaches and integrated strategies adapted to the territorial context. This article presents a critical literature review of academic publications from 2018 to 2024, using a narrative methodology with systematic elements. A total of 54 studies were analyzed from open-access scientific databases. The findings were organized into five strategic axes: participatory community management, contextualized curriculum adaptation, sustainable financing and self-management, adaptive technological innovation, and teacher training and retention in rural areas. The discussion highlights that the most sustainable projects are those that incorporate active community engagement, cultural relevance, progressive financial autonomy, technologies suited to low-connectivity environments, and tailored professional development policies for rural teachers. It is concluded that educational sustainability in Amazonian territories requires intersectoral and multilevel coordination, as well as the strengthening of local capacities for building resilient and culturally relevant educational ecosystems. This study provides strategic guidelines for the design of context-specific educational interventions and calls for future empirical research to validate these proposals in concrete settings.