Failing Grade
The goal of education is to promote learning. Sitting in classrooms is a weak proxy for knowing how to read, do math, and apply science. Latin America needs to worry less about schooling and more about learning.
Jamaicans have long been concerned about investment in and the equity of the education sector. Yet, contrary to popular belief, the problem is not solely about money. Between 2005 and 2010, public investment in education as a percent of GDP increased from 5.3 to 6.1 percent, more than the average for developed countries (5.2%). Most of Jamaica’s children attend school at least through lower secondary, and the country has a robust assessment system, which incorporates both national and school-based assessment. However, low test scores at all levels of the Jamaican education system suggest that there are gaps in the system that negatively impact the learning outcomes of many students. Poor children are particularly ill-served. Children in prep schools—privately run primary level institutions usually attended by children from upper socio-economic groups —outperform their counterparts in the public school system in all five Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) subjects, sometimes by as much as 30 percentage points. Approximately 90% of the poorest persons have no secondary or post-secondary certification compared with only 56% of the wealthiest.
The goal of education is to promote learning. Sitting in classrooms is a weak proxy for knowing how to read, do math, and apply science. Latin America needs to worry less about schooling and more about learning.
Characterized by fragmentation and instability, Ecuador has reached an agreement on the need to achieve universal basic education. Although there have been significant efforts in this regard, during the last two decades, there are still children in rural areas who do not yet attend school. Nor do all children in…
The Ecuadorian education system has improved since the previous 2006 report. Ecuador has achieved to expand enrollment in basic education and most students complete the six years of regulatory primary education. The new evaluation system not only monitors students, but also teachers, management and curriculum, making it easier to identify…