The education is the engine that can drive the sustainable development and the social equity at Latin America and the Caribbeanbut beyond schooling, the quality learning is what really makes the difference in productivity, productivity, productivity and productivity. social mobility and the labor inclusionThe Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
In its report "Latin America and the Caribbean facing development traps. Indispensable transformations and how to manage them".the agency stresses that theccess to education has increased significantly in the last decades in the region, but challenges persist in the quality of learning and the equity in access to opportunities.
More than a simple right, the education is a fundamental tool for social mobility, as it allows people to improve their living conditions and access higher-quality jobs, but if education systems do not guarantee equitable conditions, there is a risk of perpetuating the inequalities that exist in the world of work. structural inequalitieshe says.
Education as a springboard to equity
The ECLAC emphasizes that, when the education is aligned with the demands of the labor marketto reduce poverty, raise the quality of life of the population, and productivity and generate sustainable economic growth. However, in many countries in the region, access to a quality education continues to be determined by the socioeconomic status of households. While the most privileged families can afford high-level education, the most vulnerable sectors face limitations in infrastructure, technology and teacher training.
"The more the education system is aligned with the demands of the labor market, the more it can expand the opportunities for people from the most vulnerable backgrounds to access decent work, thus contributing to increasing levels of social and labor inclusion, and to achieving other development objectives, such as poverty reduction, increased productivity and higher economic growth," the document states.
In order to transform this situation, education must guarantee equal opportunity from the early childhood to higher education. According to the ECLACIn the long run, investing in early training has a positive long-term impact on the cognitive development and the future employability of people. Likewise, promoting technical and professional training facilitates labor market insertion and productive innovation.
Quality learning: the real challenge
The report highlights that the increased school enrollmentalone, does not guarantee a higher economic growth. The crucial thing is to improve the results of learning. Recent data from international tests, such as PISA y ERCEThe results of a survey of the region's students reveal that many students in the region do not reach the minimum levels of basic skills in mathematics and reading, which affects their chances of accessing higher value-added jobs.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this problem, expanding the educational gaps and mainly affecting lower-income students. Faced with this, the ECLAC emphasizes the need to reinforce the digital connectivityimprove school infrastructure and promote innovative teaching methodologies that promote meaningful learning.
"The educational challenge in the region is twofold: there is a huge debt in terms of inclusion and, at the same time, we are going through a learning crisis. It is not enough for people to complete their education; it is important to ensure that they learn from it and that they are connected to the challenges of a changing world," he stresses.
Towards a transformative educational model
To make a real impact, the education must be integrated into a strategy of productive development. This implies strengthening the relationship between education systems and the business sector, ensuring that the knowledge acquired is relevant to current and future labor markets.
In addition, it is essential to improve coordination between education policies and other areas of social welfare, such as health, social protection and transportation, to ensure that all students have the necessary conditions to learn and develop.
The ECLAC that governments should adopt a comprehensive approach, based on a holistic approach, based on the equity and the quality of learningeducation becomes the pillar of the country's development. sustainable development in the region. This requires political will, adequate investment and the collaboration of different sectors of society. This is the only way, Latin America and the Caribbean will be able to break out of the development traps and move towards greater equality of opportunity for all.
Source: ECLAC
