Os colégios rurais agrupados na Espanha: espaços de fortalecimento do campesinato?

The aim of this paper is to present the main results of research on the role of Spain's Grouped Rural High Schools (CRA-Colegios Rurais Agrupados) in strengthening the peasantry. From this perspective, the research methods were a survey and analysis of bibliographies related to the countryside and education, Spain, and, also, field research of an agency directly linked to the theme and of the CRAs themselves. While in Brazil the popular struggle for rural education strengthened during the 1990s, in Spain education for the countryside was institutionalized. As a consequence of demands made by interested parties, the system of Colegios Rurais Agrupados (CRA) was implanted. It was seen as a way to combat the disappearance of schools as a unique cultural reference for rural communities. However, this paper argues that the new form of organization has been unable to contribute to the development of the peasantry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]