INCIDENCE OF STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN THE DEMOCRATIC CULTURE OF SCHOOL MUNICIPALITIES

Purpose: Determine to what extent student participation affects the democratic culture of School Municipalities. Theoretical Framework: Focuses on the importance of developing a democratic culture through student participation in spaces such as school municipalities, based on the theories of John Dewey and Roger Hart. Method: A quantitative approach was used with a causal correlational design and a sample of 230 students between 12 and 17 years old, selected from a population of 569 members of the school municipalities through probabilistic sampling. Results and Discussion: It was found that 32.6% of students consider student participation positive, while 33.9% perceive it negatively. Furthermore, 68.3% report a regular perception of the democratic culture in school municipalities. Although there are spaces for participation, student involvement remains low on many occasions. Research Implications: This study seeks to promote democratic culture through student participation in school, thus contributing to improving educational management and aligning with the objectives of sustainable development in education. Originality: Offers a perspective on the role of educational institutions in building a democratic school community through student participation. Conclusion: Student participation has a significant impact (82.5%) on the democratic culture of the School Municipalities, which supports the study hypothesis. It is crucial that students understand their role as citizens and actively participate in school life to build a strong democratic culture.


INTRODUCTION
In the search to turn political regimes into systems of tolerant, liberal, progressive and egalitarian public management, democracy appears, seeking to effect the civic development of good governance (Gonzáles et al, 2024).However, the need to promote democratic culture and citizen participation persists, as evidenced by recent social and political movements in Latin America.Therefore, the promotion of educational policies that promote student participation in the interests of civic and democratic training is proposed from the point of view of regular basic education, recognizing the political-electoral rights and duties through participation spaces such as municipalities and school councils (Vargas, 2020).
Internationally, there is a notable disparity in democratic participation and culture between European and Latin American countries.In the 2022 International Study of Civic and Citizenship, countries such as Denmark, China, Taipei, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Republic of Korea, Estonia, Russian Federation, Belgium, Slovenia, Croatia, Italy, and the Netherlands excelled with scores above the world average and Latin American nations in terms of civic knowledge and citizenship among their high school students.It also highlights that most democracies are located in Europe, especially in countries such as Denmark, Finland, Latvia and the United Kingdom, which offer their citizens stronger systems of direct participation in decision-making in public affairs (IDEA International, 2023)."Ultimately,these European countries prioritize participation and the importance of democratic culture from educational institutions, as evidenced in international reviews (Casadellà, 2022).
In Latin America, only Chile, Mexico, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Peru participated in the 2022 International Citizenship and Civic Survey.This revealed that, although civic and citizen education teaching has been strengthened in national curricula, it is not given enough importance or time, which limits students' civic and citizenship learning.Only Chile and Colombia scored higher than the international average in civic knowledge.In addition, 4 most students justified dictatorial regimes for providing security and order, but those with greater civic and democratic knowledge disagreed with these forms of government (IDEA International, 2023).This result indicates that Latin American countries face challenges to improve their civic and democratic culture, which questions their political, social and economic stability (Ojeda and Nuñez, 2022).
Latin American countries have been working to improve spaces for school participation.
In Chile, the student council is considered part of political participation, but more on an informative and collaborative level (Salazar et al., 2021).In Colombia, efforts to improve the civic and democratic training of students are often diverted towards resolving social conflicts (Rodríguez, 2022).On the other hand, Paraguay has seen the need to include in the Middle Education Curriculum cross-cutting areas such as democratic education, strengthening the critical thinking of the student (Benítez, 2021).In Ecuador, democratic education is taught through subjects that promote democratic values and practices, and student participation is encouraged in different spaces.These programs are essential, especially considering that the Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador recognizes political maturity in young people from the age of 16, granting them the right to vote (Muñoz et al., 2021).
Meanwhile, in Peru, INEI, in its report "Peru: Citizen Perception on Governance, Democracy and Trust in Institutions", reveals a correlation between educational level and knowledge about democracy.Only 14.8% of those who completed primary school understand the term, while 48.1% of those who finished secondary school and 84.3% of those who achieved higher education have knowledge about it (INEI, 2023).These findings suggest that lack of formal education may limit understanding of citizens' rights and duties, excluding people from public participation.It is crucial, therefore, to strengthen the spaces of participation in schools to promote the understanding of rights and duties, as well as to promote critical, reflective thinking and a greater civic and democratic culture (Lars, 2020).

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
On the path to understanding and advancing scientific knowledge, background plays a crucial role in establishing the context and relevance of particular research.So this article coincides with the authors, Quiñones and Tavera (2021) examined student participation in school governance in their study "School governance: A scenario of student participation?".
They used a quantitative approach and a sample of student council students, staff, and student comptroller.They found that, although the educational institution offers spaces for student participation, many students do not take advantage of them due to ignorance of their responsibilities as citizens.It is concluded that mechanisms of participation and awareness in students should be proposed and have the participation of other actors of the educational community that motivate and encourage them to participate and promote values such as freedom of expression, respect and tolerance in the school environment.Likewise, Benítez (2021) investigated student participation in democratic processes in the Middle Education of schools in Pilar, Paraguay.Using a quantitative approach, he found that students have an adequate knowledge of institutional norms and there is a good consensus between them and teachers.He concluded that this participation contributes to the citizen development of students.
And, Vargas (2020) examined student participation in school management, focusing on the School Municipality in a public primary educational institution in Peru.He used a qualitative methodology based on Roger Hart's theory of child participation.She found that participation in the School Municipality provides direct benefits for both the school and students, but the proposals are often not met due to lack of coordination with adults.He concluded that student

DEMOCRATIC CULTURE:
Consolidating a democratic culture means for Nunes (2004), "the community possesses the resources (knowledge and skills) which allow it to identify trends to put into practice its rights and taking responsibility for them, so that it is valid to express its annoyances or required proposals" (p.15).Considering that within a democratic culture, values and attitudes are practiced that promote democracy as a political system and way of life.
It is important to emphasize that competences, participation and democratic coexistence are oriented towards a democratic culture.Competences include knowledge, skills and abilities that empower citizens to act ethically, promoting democratic environments, the recognition of human rights and conflict management, the promotion of these competences improves the school environment and facilitates a more harmonious coexistence within and outside the school environment.Participation promotes the organization of people in spaces where dialog is encouraged, rights are protected and decisions are made, thus contributing to improving the quality of life and strengthening a participatory democratic culture.On the other hand, coexistence plays a crucial role in schools, since these are the favorable environment to instill the necessary teachings for a community coexistence, promoting tolerance, inclusion and equity, essential aspects in a democratic society (Arce, 2019).

THEORY ON EDUCATION: "EDUCATION AND DEMOCRACY" BY JOHN DEWEY (1995):
Dewey endorsed the role of institutionalized education and advocated strengthening schools as key elements in promoting democratic attitudes and skills.Contemporary authors such as Rawls, Gutmann, Apple and Callan also defended this motivating role of education for democratic engagement (Stojnic, 2015).Dewey conceived of school as a community of life, essential to building a participatory and civic democracy (Dewey, 1995).Freire, a supporter of Dewey, also emphasized the need to practice democracy in education (Freire, 1997), as did Vargas, who highlighted how education can foster more democratic societies (Vargas, 2021).
School is where young people exercise their participation rights and develop democratic values, according to Dewey (Dewey, 1995).However, it is criticized that schools often foster 7 competition rather than democratic participation, which limits student prominence (Vladimir, 2023).In this context, the notion that education is exclusively focused on preparing for the future is questioned, as this could undermine the ability of students to address present challenges (Dewey, 1995).This critique highlights a deep-rooted problem in schools, where competition and compliance are promoted, which alienates students and hinders their perception as collective agents in search of solidarity and mutual support.
In contrast, authors such as Gómez (2019) and Ojeda y Nuñez (2022) emphasize the importance of a democratic culture in schools.Durkheim also notes the role of the school in socialization and identity formation (Durkheim, 1976).In short, democratic education is critical to cultivating participatory citizens and more democratic societies, but it currently faces challenges in its implementation.

STUDENT PARTICIPATION:
Starting from the concept of participation, it is recognized as those processes in which decisions that affect the life of a person and other members of the community are shared.Furthermore, participation is considered as a fundamental element in a democracy, which should also serve as a criterion for evaluating them (Hart, 1993).Participation covers a variety of fields of action and levels, making it a complex process.This process involves multiple actors, generating an essential interrelationship for decision-making.In the school context, students are the protagonists and act as democratic decision makers, for example, when choosing their student representatives in the educational center (Vargas, 2020).
In this sense, four types of participation are identified, highlighting that none can be rated as negative or more positive than another, since this depends on several factors such as the maturity of the participants, their age and the context in which they are.In simple participation, students participate as spectators or performers without intervening in the preparation or decisions, since their participation can influence the development of the activity, but they do not assume responsibilities.Consultative participation; students are asked for their opinion on certain topics or activities, and are encouraged to propose ideas.On the other hand, projective participation; students are involved in the development of activities, setting objectives, planning and executing projects.And, participatory goal participation; students demand new spaces and mechanisms of participation, initiating projects and demanding to be heard in decisions that affect them (Trilla and Novella, 2001).environment, in such a way that awakens his ability to create and innovate new things; but, if he does not participate, he will not be able to demonstrate the great power of his ability.He mentioned that a society is democratic when its citizens participate, and this competence is acquired through practice, allowing young people to be protagonists of their own environments and cultivating democratic values since childhood (Hart, 1993).
Likewise, student participation is fundamental for the development of skills and the construction of citizenship (Hart, 1993).However, there are barriers to participation in the school that include the perception of students as minors, which limits their autonomy (Acosta and Dávila, 2019).And, traditional education is criticized for its lack of student participation, which leads students to passive participation and excluded from decision-making (Vargas, 2020).
However, Roger Hart, highlights the benefits of student participation, including the development of independence, creativity, and democratic values.But lack of participation can lead to dependence, conformity, and low credibility in democracy.It is critical that students feel heard to encourage their participation in school.Since, to achieve a democratic school, there are two ways: the curricular, which involves the incorporation of participatory methodologies in the classroom, and the organizational, which seeks the democratization of school management to involve students in decision-making within their capacities (Lars, 2020).
Finally, this study focuses on strengthening democratic culture through the active participation of students in school life.Recognizing the fundamental value of their involvement, it seeks to create an environment where students become agents of change.By promoting their participation in decision-making, the development of a committed and conscious citizenry is encouraged.This approach not only seeks to improve educational management, but also to align with the objectives of sustainable development in education, thus generating a positive and lasting impact on society and in the educational field.

METHOD
The research is applied, seeks to solve a practical and specific problem (Paitan et al., 2014).It is a non-experimental and cross-sectional design, collecting data in 2023.A quantitative approach was used, concentrating on numerical measurements for statistical analysis (Hernández and Samperio, 2018).The study has a causal correlational level, seeking to evaluate the influence of student participation in the democratic culture of the School Municipalities.The population was composed of a total of 569 students who were part of the School Municipality.Exclusion criteria were established, those students who do not belong to the School Municipality and as inclusion criteria, those students who belong to the School Municipality and who are between 12 and 17 years of age.By means of a probabilistic sampling, a sample of 230 citizens was obtained using a statistical formula whose description is in the annex of the study.We used the survey technique and a questionnaire with 8 and 15 items for the independent and dependent variables respectively, organized by dimensions and indicators.The data were measured by three levels of the Likert Scale, being the following; 1.-Never, 2.-Sometimes and 3.-Always.According to table 2 it can be determined that the "Student Participation" in its dimension SIMPLE PARTICIPATION, is perceived by 38% as good (always), on the other hand, there is 19% who consider the "Student Participation" in this aspect as regular (sometimes) and finally there is a group of 43% who consider that there is a deficient (never) "Student Participation" in terms of SIMPLE PARTICIPATION.

Levels
The "Student Participation" in its dimension CONSULTATIVE PARTICIPATION, is perceived in 33% as good (always), on the other hand, there is 32% who consider the "Student Participation" in this aspect as regular (sometimes) and finally there is a group of 35% who consider that there is a deficient (never) "Student Participation" in terms of CONSULTATIVE PARTICIPATION.
The "Student Participation" in its dimension PROJECTIVE PARTICIPATION, is perceived in 33% as good (always), on the other hand, there is a 41% that considers the "Student Participation" in this aspect as regular (sometimes) and finally there is a group of 26% that considers that there is a deficient (never) "Student Participation" in terms of PROJECTIVE PARTICIPATION.
The "Student Participation" in its META PARTICIPATION dimension is perceived by 40% as good (always), on the other hand, there is a 34% who consider the "Student Participation" in this aspect as regular (sometimes) and finally there is a group of 27% who consider that there is a deficient (never) "Student Participation" in terms of META PARTICIPATION.

Table 3
Levels of the dimensions of democratic culture of the School Municipalities, year 2024.According to table 3 it can be determined that the "Democratic Culture" in its dimension DEMOCRATIC COMPETITION, is perceived by 13% as good (always), on the other hand, there is a 71% who considers the "Democratic Culture" in this aspect as regular (sometimes) and finally there is a group of 16% who considers that there is a deficient (never) "Democratic Culture" in terms of DEMOCRATIC COMPETITION.

Levels
The "democratic culture" in its dimension DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, is perceived by 26% as good (always), on the other hand, there are 48% who consider the "democratic culture" in this aspect as regular (sometimes) and finally there is a group of 26% who consider that there is a deficient (never) "democratic culture" in terms of DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION.
The "Democratic Culture" in its dimension DEMOCRATIC COEXISTENCE, is perceived by 20% as good (always), on the other hand, there is a 52% who consider the "Democratic Culture" in this aspect as regular (sometimes) and finally there is a group of 27% who consider that there is a deficient (never) "Democratic Culture" in terms of DEMOCRATIC COEXISTENCE.

Table 4
Adjustment information of the regression model for the verification of general hypotheses and estimation of the incidence of student participation in the democratic culture of the School Municipalities, year 2024.In Table 4 it is observed that the level of significance of the regression is less than 5% (p < 0.05) which shows that student participation affects the democratic culture of the School Municipalities (the study hypothesis is accepted), with a value of Nagelkerke 0.825, that is, the level of student participation affects 82.5% at the level of the democratic culture.In Table 5 it is observed that the significance level of the regression is less than 5% (p < 0.05) which shows that student participation affects democratic competition (the study hypothesis is accepted), with a value of Nagelkerke 0.586, that is, the level of student participation affects 58.6% in the level of democratic competition.13 Table 6 shows that the level of significance of the regression is less than 5% (p < 0.05) which shows that student participation affects democratic participation (the hypothesis of study is accepted), with a value of Nagelkerke 0.584, that is, the level of student participation affects 58.4% in the level of democratic participation.

Figure 3
Student participation and democratic participation of the School Municipalities, year 2024.

Table 7
Information on the adjustment of the regression model for the verification of general hypotheses and estimation of the incidence of student participation in democratic coexistence, 2024.14 is accepted), with a value of Nagelkerke 0.576, that is, the level of student participation affects 57.6% in the level of democratic coexistence.

Figure 4
Student participation and democratic coexistence of the School Municipalities, year 2024.

DISCUSSION
The findings of this study initiate a discussion on student participation in the development of a democratic school culture.According to Ojeda and Nuñez (2022), it is crucial to go beyond electoral procedures and promote the active participation of students in this process from an early age.However, the results of the study also suggest that, despite the theoretical openness to student participation, in practice many students seem not to be involved in the decision-making processes within their schools, according to Lars (2020), although there are formal opportunities for participation, many students seem not to be involved in school decision-making.
Furthermore, the results presented show that the majority of students perceive their democratic competence as regular within the school environment.This finding is relevant since it suggests that there is a significant space to improve understanding and democratic participation among young people in the educational field.Accordingly, Vargas (2020), mentions that it is essential to consider that democratic competence depends not only on the individual perception of students, but also on the quality of educational practices and participation in school.
In addition, the statistical results indicate a significant relationship between student participation and the dimension of democratic participation, supporting the notion that school is a crucial environment for socialization and the construction of individual identity, as Durkheim (1976) points out.And, these findings coincide with Benítez's (2021) idea about the The results show that 52% of students consider regulating democratic coexistence in school.The significant relationship between student participation and democratic coexistence supports the idea that school is a vital community, as suggested by Dewey (1995).In addition, these findings coincide with Quiñones and Tavera (2021), highlighting the importance of promoting values such as freedom of expression, respect and tolerance in the school environment.

CONCLUSIONS
The significant relationship found (p < 0.05) between student participation and democratic culture in school municipalities, showing that student participation affects 82.5% in this culture, supports the importance of actively involving students in school life.It is essential that students understand the importance of being active citizens, participating in various forms within their school life.A democratic school is not limited to following rituals of choice for representative democracy, but involves a commitment to rebuilding an entrenched democratic culture.
There is a significant incidence of 58.6% of student participation in the democratic competition of school municipalities, with a level of significance less than 5%.This participation has resulted in a remarkable improvement of the democratic competences of the students, promoting the practice of fundamental values in democracy and strengthening linguistic, communicative, analytical and critical thinking skills.In addition, it has aroused a future interest in political participation among young people, expanding their knowledge and understanding of laws and rights in the country.
Student participation in school municipalities shows a significant incidence of 58.4% in democratic participation, with a level of significance less than 5%.This finding supports the hypothesis of study and underlines the active commitment of the members of the school municipality in the elaboration of plans, projects and activities for the benefit of the educational institution.However, it is noted that only one school municipality facilitates one day.
Student participation in school municipalities shows a significant incidence of 57.6% in democratic coexistence, with a level of significance less than 5%.This finding supports the hypothesis of study, because students, under the guidance of their teachers, have developed Incidence of Student Participation in The Democratic Culture of School Municipalities ___________________________________________________________________________ Rev. Gest.Soc.Ambient.| Miami | v.18.n.6 | p.1-18 | e07250 | 2024.
At the state level, work has been carried out to promote and institutionalize participatory spaces in schools, such as the School Municipalities, supported by the General Education Law (Law No. 28044.Art.53°) and the Vice-Ministerial Resolution N°0067 -2011 of the Ministry of Education (MINEDU), at all educational levels.Despite efforts, the hierarchical and authoritarian structure of schools has hindered broad student participation, hindering the transition towards a more participatory and horizontal model that encourages dialog and critical thinking (Vargas, 2020).The implementation of school municipalities across the country has encouraged student participation.For example, in San Juan de Miraflores, the District Municipal School Council ___________________________________________________________________________ Rev. Gest.Soc.Ambient.| Miami | v.18.n.6 | p.1-18 | e07250 | 2024.5 approved a project to improve green areas in 12 local schools (Diario el Comercio, 2022).In addition, events such as the 8th Metropolitan Congress of Student Leaders (COMETE) have brought together school leaders to discuss ideas and values that strengthen educational quality, tolerance, leadership, respect and punctuality, thus contributing to a solid democratic and civic culture.In this sense, for the present scientific article the following question was raised: To what extent does student participation affect the democratic culture of school municipalities and as a general objective, to determine to what extent student participation affects the democratic culture of school municipalities.The specific objectives were to determine the extent to which student participation affects each dimension of the democratic culture variable: competition, participation and democratic coexistence.
Incidence of Student Participation in The Democratic Culture of School Municipalities ___________________________________________________________________________ Rev. Gest.Soc.Ambient.| Miami | v.18.n.6 | p.1-18 | e07250 | 2024.6 participation in institutional spaces such as the School Municipality is crucial to solving school problems and developing leadership skills among students.
Incidence of Student Participation in The Democratic Culture of School Municipalities ___________________________________________________________________________ Rev. Gest.Soc.Ambient.| Miami | v.18.n.6 | p.1-18 | e07250 | 2024.8 2.4 PARTICIPATION THEORY: "CHILD-YOUTH PARTICIPATION" BY ROGER HART (1993) Just like John Dewey, another advocate of child participation is Roger Hart, who advocates for the creation of spaces where children can make decisions from an early age, considering that children and young people are in the ability to propose, design, manage projects, making this motivation in the young person make him think, analyze or reflect on his Incidence of Student Participation in The Democratic Culture of School Municipalities ___________________________________________________________________________ Rev. Gest.Soc.Ambient.| Miami | v.18.n.6 | p.1-18 | e07250 | 2024.9

Figure 1
Figure 1Student participation and the democratic culture of the School Municipalities, year 2024.

Figure 2
Figure 2Student participation and democratic competition of the School Municipalities, year 2024.
Participation in The Democratic Culture of School Municipalities ___________________________________________________________________________ Rev. Gest.Soc.Ambient.| Miami | v.18.n.6 | p.1-18 | e07250 | 2024.15 fundamental role of the school in the development of critical thinking and dialog among students.

Table 2
Levels of the dimensions of student participation of the School Municipalities, year 2024.
Implementation of the Democratic Culture Questionnaire, 2024.

Table 5
Information on the adjustment of the regression model for the general hypothesis test and estimation of the incidence of student participation in democratic competition, 2024.

Table 6
Information on the adjustment of the regression model for the general hypothesis test and estimation of the incidence of student participation in democratic participation, 2024.

Table 7
shows that the level of significance of the regression is less than 5% (p < 0.05) which shows that student participation affects democratic coexistence (the hypothesis of study