Bogotá Public School Reaches Top 10 in Global Prize

When students learn to recognize their feelings and talk through disagreements, something remarkable happens. At Colegio Las Margaritas in Bogotá, that approach just earned the public school a spot among the top 10 finalists worldwide in the World's Best School Prizes 2026.

The school, located in Bogotá's fast-growing Bosa district, cut serious school incidents by 85%, kept dropout rates below 1%, and eliminated reported bullying cases. It achieved these results through its Socio-Emotional Refuge model, which teaches emotional awareness and peer mediation instead of relying primarily on punishment.

More than 150 students completed peer-mediation training through the Bogota Chamber of Commerce's Hermes Program. When conflicts arise, trained student mediators help their classmates work through disagreements before tensions escalate, creating an environment where students actively support each other.

Colegio Las Margaritas serves children and teenagers through a partnership between Bogotá's Secretariat of Education and Alianza Educativa, a nonprofit founded by the University of the Andes alongside three private schools. The organization manages 11 public schools across the city, introducing innovative educational practices into Colombia's public education system.

Teachers and counselors implement the socio-emotional program throughout the academic year, weaving emotional education into everyday school life. Students learn to identify their feelings, practice dialogue skills, and build healthy relationships as part of their regular curriculum.

T4 Education, which organizes the annual World's Best School Prizes, selected Las Margaritas as a finalist in the Supporting Healthy Lives category. The competition evaluates schools addressing major educational challenges while advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, looking beyond test scores to measure real-world impact.

The Ripple Effect

Las Margaritas now stands alongside finalists from Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, and Oceania. The recognition marks the second time in 2026 that a Colombian school has reached the global competition's finals, following an earlier distinction for Institución Educativa Jose Asuncion Silva in Medellín.

Diana Basto, executive director of Alianza Educativa, says the nomination proves that academic excellence and student well-being strengthen each other. The school ranks among Bogotá's highest-performing public schools while maintaining its focus on emotional development.

Bogota Secretary of Education Julia Rubiano noted the international recognition reflects Colombia's commitment to supporting students' emotional health alongside classroom instruction. The approach offers a model that other schools can adapt, showing that creating safer, more supportive learning environments produces measurable results.

Public voting for the Community Choice Award remains open through the World's Best School Prizes website. Winners across all five categories will be announced later this year, but Las Margaritas has already demonstrated that investing in student well-being transforms entire school communities.