Education, Science and Technology > Education, Training, Science & Technology > Education > Primary and Secondary Education
Secondary Education in Latin America and the Caribbean: The Challenge of Growth and Reform
By Laurence Wolff, Claudio de Moura Castro (01/00, EDU-111, En, Es)
The changing characteristics of today's and tomorrow's economies, especially globalization and the increasing intellectual content of production, require a labor force with stronger mathematics, language, and communications skills, as well as flexibility, creativity and an increased ability to work together cooperatively. In developed countries these demands have resulted in virtually universal secondary education, revised curricula, and higher learning standards. In contrast, Latin America and the Caribbean enroll much lower percentages of school age children in secondary education than the region's chief competitors. In the region, learning in secondary education is inadequate by international standards; the implemented curriculum is outdated and poorly matched with labor market needs; teachers have inadequate subject knowledge, poor pedagogy, and are often unmotivated; learning materials are scarce and inadequate; schools rarely have a sense of mission and identity, and school directors usually have little authority and recognition. These problems are complicated by the increasing numbers of students entering secondary education with far different social backgrounds and needs, compared to those who previously participated in a relatively elitist system. Furthermore, the poor, especially those in rural areas, are grossly underrepresented, and large numbers of young adults are still in secondary education, mainly a result of repetition at earlier levels and in secondary schools.
Fortunately, nearly every country in the region has begun to pay attention to secondary education. While few of these efforts have been adequately evaluated, this paper identifies some of the most promising innovations, focusing on improving the quality of education and on meeting needs for quantitative expansion.
Last updated: 01/16/07
