The illusion of flexibility and the limits of teacher autonomy in the Ecuadorian curriculum

IntroductionCurriculum reforms in Latin America emphasize flexibility, contextualization, and teacher autonomy. In Ecuador, the 2016 curriculum operationalizes these through Skills with Performance Criteria (PC).MethodsAn analytical–interpretive approach was applied, examining the national curriculum alongside literature on educational governance and critical pedagogy.ResultsThe PC-based structure, with its criteria and indicators, organizes planning, evaluation, and documentation around predefi