La Loma, October 7 of 2026
According to the Territorial Development Monitor
- The five municipalities within Drummond Ltd.’s area of influence show progress on this
indicator, surpassing the averages recorded at both the departmental and national levels.
A technical analysis by the Territorial Development Monitor (MDT)—a tool developed by the firm Arteaga Latam—identified positive trends in educational trajectories across the municipalities of Agustín Codazzi, Becerril, Chiriguaná, El Paso, and La Jagua de Ibirico in the department of Cesar. According to the study, the rate of immediate transition to higher education rose by 20.8 points between 2018 and 2025, increasing from 24.9 to 45.7 per 100 high school graduates.
This trend is complemented by improved school retention in the five municipalities analyzed; secondary school dropout rates fell from 5.1 to 4.3 per 100 students during the same period.
Analysis of the regional and municipal context
The MDT assessed Cesar’s overall performance on the Educational Trajectory Index, ranking the department 15th out of 33 territorial entities with a score of 72.6 out of 100. This marks an improvement of 10.8 points and a rise of six places compared to 2018. At the departmental level, the rate of immediate transition to higher education increased from 36.3 to 53.5 per 100 high school graduates, while the average score on the Saber 11 exam rose from 246.2 to 256.6 points.
Regarding the specifics of the municipalities analyzed, the evolution of the index played out as follows:
- • Chiriguaná: recorded the greatest progress in the group, with a 10.6-point gain.
- • El Paso: achieved a 9.5-point gain.
- • La Jagua de Ibirico: added 6.3 points.
- • Becerril: recorded growth of 4.9 points.
“We are delighted to see these results and to witness more young people from the municipalities directly influenced by Drummond advancing toward higher education. At the same time, the data shows us that there are still challenges to face, particularly regarding quality. At Drummond, we want to continue supporting efforts that strengthen educational opportunities for young people in Cesar and Magdalena, enabling them to build their life plans under better conditions,” stated José Miguel Linares, President of Drummond Ltd., regarding the analysis results.
Drummond and its contribution to local education
The MDT findings align with actions currently underway in the area to help strengthen educational opportunities and support student retention and quality.
Accordingly, a significant portion of the company’s social investment has focused on education and the development of regional talent in the departments of Cesar and Magdalena. By the end of 2025, the company had contributed to the construction, renovation, or improvement of 1,252 classrooms, benefiting over 72,000 students across various municipalities in the region.
Similarly, 495 young people from public institutions have benefited from higher education scholarships and living stipends through company-led programs—including those linked to resettlement processes and socioeconomic management plans, as well as initiatives promoting academic excellence. Furthermore, more than 8,500 children of employees have received educational subsidies. At the same time, more than 4,500 adults have participated in literacy programs, and 40,000 students and 1,693 teachers have been included in projects to strengthen the quality of education.
It is worth noting that the MDT is an independent platform developed by the firm Arteaga Latam that consolidates, manages, and analyzes historical data on municipal development indicators in the country; for this study, official data from the Ministry of National Education, ICFES, and DANE were used.
To learn more about this tool and view its indicators, please visit the platform’s official website: