Educational Goals Lag in Latin America

 
The debate over education in Latin America usually revolves around budgetary, administrative or financial problems. And yet, the problems lie far deeper than that, in a lack of consensus over educational goals and, especially, of a commitment to provide schools with the tools needed to improve the system.

At the Ibero-American Summit in Panama City in November 2000, the heads of state of 21 countries acknowledged Latin America's poor educational record in their final declaration. "Latin America and the Caribbean are experiencing a profound educational crisis. Millions of our young people are illiterate and access to the different levels of the educational system is problematic, because of government policies that reflect a lack of state responsibility for financing public education," the declaration read. "The current educational system is not meeting young people's development needs. Academic curriculums have shifted to emphasize the immediate demands of the market, resulting in a more fragile educational formation."

Education and Progress

Speaking at the summit, Ecuadorian President Gustavo Noboa stressed that "the only way to overcome poverty is by investing in education." He especially noted the need for policies that will help bridge the "technology gap" that separates developed and undeveloped countries. "Without people trained in the new technologies," Noboa said, "it will be impossible to break the chains of poverty."

Education and progress go hand in hand. One of the basic goals of education is to equip human beings to understand the realities of today's world, in which change and transformation occurs so rapidly that school curriculums often cannot keep up. Noboa therefore emphasized the importance of getting young people involved in technological advances and the democratic process. (Ecuador has one of the youngest populations in the hemisphere; 51% of the inhabitants are below the age of 19).

Increasing Coverage

Many goals remain to be met in terms of improving the region's educational performance. The number of students has been rising, but access to a basic education at the primary and secondary school levels remains a serious problem. Drop out rates are also high, especially in rural areas. According to the Inter-American Development Bank's annual report on economic and social progress in Latin America, "on average, Latin Americans complete less than nine years of education. This figure has increased by only 1.5 years in the last two decades, and it is still far below the 13.5-year average for the United States or the 12-year norm in South Korea or Taiwan."

Latin America seems incapable of understanding that one of its greatest potential resources is its population of young people, who will be ready to join the labor force in the next decades. They are the key to the region's progress and economic fortunes.

Education and Democracy

Recognizing the right to education is also an essential part of the consolidation of democracy in Latin America. Education is a basic right that gives people the opportunity to join and participate in the culture that is humanity's heritage.

Of course, the debate over education is inseparable from political and social values and agendas. Acknowledging the need to "educate for democracy" will be an important step in promoting political understanding and participation.