Legal literacy as a condition for access to justice in secondary education

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62697/rmiie.v5i2.322

Keywords:

Legal literacy, socio-legal studies, civic education, youth legal consciousness

Abstract

This article analyzes the insufficient presence of legal literacy content in Ecuadorian secondary education as a factor affecting young people’s real capacity to exercise their rights. A qualitative socio-legal approach is adopted, based on a case study of a secondary school located in northern Ecuador. The study examines the curricular design, educational guidelines, and the discourses of institutional actors, as well as students’ perceptions regarding their knowledge of the law and their understanding of basic legal procedures. Through thematic analysis of interviews and documentary review of the official curriculum, the research identifies a persistent tendency to equate civic education with legal education. This approach results in instruction focused primarily on democratic values and general principles, while lacking concrete procedural orientation. Such a framework leads to limited preparation to recognize rights violations and to activate institutional mechanisms for protection. It is argued that the absence of systematic legal instruction at the secondary level contributes to maintaining informational inequalities that affect students’ legal empowerment and shape their relationship with the justice system. In this way, the article contributes to the academic discussion on youth legal consciousness and education as a crucial space for strengthening the effective exercise of citizenship within the Latin American context.

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References

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Published

2026-04-01

How to Cite

Rueda-Aguilar, C. A., Méndez-Cabrita, C. M., Coka-Flores, D. F., & Tulcanaza-Guapaz, A. H. (2026). Legal literacy as a condition for access to justice in secondary education. Revista Mexicana De Investigación E Intervención Educativa, 5(2), 76–84. https://doi.org/10.62697/rmiie.v5i2.322

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 2 (2026): Innovación educativa y desafíos contemporáneos para la inclusión y el desarrollo integral (abril-junio)

Section

Artículos

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Copyright (c) 2026 Christian Andress Rueda-Aguilar, Carmen Marina Méndez-Cabrita, Diego Fernando Coka-Flores, Alvaro Henrry Tulcanaza-Guapaz

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