This article presents a set of proposals intended to contribute to strengthening the role of educational institutions in the elimination of poverty. It discusses a series of actions to be undertaken by both govemment and educational institutions which could lead to a more efficient public spending in education. This paper is the result of field work conducted by the poverty research team at Icesi University at educational institutions in the District of Aguablanca in Cali. It included a review of literature by local and international authors and an analysis of supplementary information.