Education, Life Cycle
and Mobility: A Latin
American Perspective
Martín Hopenhayn
Director
Social Development Division, ECLAC
Expert Group Meeting on Adolescents, Youth and
Development
New York, July 21 and 22, 2011
Main ideas
• Formal education reinforces, does not reverse, the
intergenerational reproduction of inequality.
• Socioeconomic conditions of adolescents and youngsters
households have a strong influence not only on their
educational achievements (years of schooling) but also
on acquisition of significant knowledge.
• The linkage between family conditions (social,
economical and cultural), educational performance,
work-income opportunities and access to social security
wrap up a life-cycle system on gaps and lacks.
CONCLUDING SECONDARY EDUCATION: WHERE THE
GREAT GAP BEGINS
LATIN AMERICA (18 COUNTRIES): POPULATION AGED 20-24 WITH COMPLETE SECONDARY EDUCATION BY PER
CAPITA
INCOME AND SEX, AROUND 2008
(Percentages)
Source: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), on the basis of special tabulations of data
from household surveys conducted in the respective countries.
a The data for indigenous and non-indigenous young people refer to eight countries and correspond to 2007.
NOT ONLY A QUESTION OF ACHIEVEMENT: ALSO A
QUESTION OF RYTHM
LATIN AMERICA (18 COUNTRIES): YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 15-19 WITH TIMELY
PROGRESSION THROUGH THE EDUCATION SYSTEM, AROUND 2008
(Percentages)
100
80
73
73
79
86
89
69
66
Percentage
76
82
61
55
60
40
Decile 10
Decile 9
Decile 8
Decile 7
Decile 6
Decile 5
Decile 4
Decile 3
Decile 2
Total
0
Decile 1
20
Source: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), on the basis
of special tabulations of data from household surveys conducted in the respective countries.
STILL YOUNG AND HIGHLY EDUCATED: WHERE THE GAP
GETS MUCH WIDER
LATIN AMERICA (17 COUNTRIES): POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION ATTENDANCE AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 2029 AND COMPLETION OF AT LEAST FIVE YEARS OF UNIVERSITY EDUCATION AMONG THOSE AGED 25-29
BY PER CAPITA INCOME AND SEX, AROUND 2008
(Percentages)
Source:Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), on the basis of special tabulations of data from
household surveys conducted in the respective countries.
A LAS BRECHAS EN AÑOS DE ESCOLARIDAD ALCANZADOS SE
AGREGAN LAS BRECHAS EN APRENDIZAJES EFECTIVOS
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Chile
Colombia
México
Panamá
Perú
Bajo nivel 1
Nivel 1
Nivel 2
Nivel 3
Trinidad Uruguay
y Tobago
Nivel 4
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Brasil
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Argentina
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100
80
60
40
20
0
20
40
60
80
100
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Porcentaje de estudiantes
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN (NINE COUNTRIES) AND OECD AVERAGE: DISTRIBUTION OF
PERFORMANCE ON THE PISA READING TEST AMONG 15-YEAR-OLD STUDENTS, BY INDEX OF
SOCIOECONOMIC AND CULTURAL STATUS (ISEC)
OECD
Nivel 5
Source: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), on the basis of special
processing of microdata from the 2009 PISA test.
ALTHOUGH CORRELATED, YOUNG GENERATIONS EXCEED IN
AVERAGE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTS OF THEIR PARENTS
LATIN AMERICA (SELECTED COUNTRIES): YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 25-29 WHO COMPLETED VARYING
LEVELS OF EDUCATION BY HOUSEHOLD EDUCATIONAL CLIMATE, AROUND 2006a
(Percentages)
Source: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), on the basis of special tabulations of data from
household surveys conducted in the respective countries.
a Average years of education their parents completed, except for young people who are already emancipated and are themselves
heads of households. In this case, refers to their own level of educational attainment.
THRESHOLD OF EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT FOR LABOR
INCOMES MOVES UPWARDS
LATIN AMERICA (18 COUNTRIES): YEARS OF SCHOOLING REQUIRED TO BE LESS LIKELY TO LIVE
IN POVERTY OR TO EARN ABOVE-AVERAGE LABOUR INCOME AMONG THE EMPLOYED
POPULATION AGED 20-29, AROUND 2008A(Years of schooling)
Source: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), on the basis of special tabulations of
data from household surveys conducted in the respective countries.
a Employed persons working 20 or more hours per week.
b Urban areas.
THE HEART OF LIFE-CYCLE REPRODUCTION OF
INEQUALITIES: EDUCATION-EMPLOYMENT
LATIN AMERICA (SELECTED COUNTRIES): INFORMALITY AND MONTHLY LABOUR INCOME FOR THE EMPLOYED
POPULATION AGED 15-29, 30-64 AND 15 AND OVER, BY LEVEL OF EDUCATION(Percentages)
Source: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), on the basis of special tabulations of data from
household surveys conducted in the respective countries.
THE GENDER INEQUALITY IN THE EDUCATION-INCOME
RELATION
LATIN AMERICA (SELECTED COUNTRIES): INCOME TRAJECTORY BY YEARS OF
SCHOOLING, WAGE-EARNERS AGED 20 AND OVER WORKING 20 OR MORE HOURS PER
WEEK, BY SEX,
(Index: wages with zero years of schooling in the comparison category with the highest income=100)
Source:
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), on the basis of special
tabulations of data from household surveys conducted in the respective countries.
FORMALITY-INFORMALITY GAP IN INCOME RETURNS
TO EDUCATION
LATIN AMERICA (SELECTED COUNTRIES): INCOME TRAJECTORY BY YEARS OF SCHOOLING, WAGE-EARNERS
AGED 20 AND OVER WORKING 20 OR MORE HOURS PER WEEK, BY LABOUR MARKET FORMALITY A
(Index: wages with zero years of schooling in the comparison category with the highest income=100)
Source:
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), on the basis of special tabulations
of. data from household surveys conducted in the respective countries.
a Simple average trajectory for each segment of the labour market, by country. The trajectory within each segment was
calculated using a separate model that does not control for the other segmentations.
Politics and policies considering education and
intergenerational reproduction of inequality
• Gaps in secondary level is a quite recent concern compared to primary
level enrolment and conclusion (still evident in working with family and
the community).
• Demographic transition challenges to review composition of spending
and non monetary efforts among different levels.
• Educational reforms during the last two decades emphasize quality rather
than equity when it comes to secondary education.
• Segmentation depending on pocket-expenditure poses a great challenge
to universal public supply with good quality and relevant knowledge.
• Teachers, ICTs, longer school days, relevant curricula: part of a complex
menu where there are no short-term results and require State more than
government policies and social covenants.
• Strong need to build links between leaving the school and moving into the
labour market (and viceversa).
Education, Life Cycle
and Mobility: A Latin
American Perspective
Martín Hopenhayn
Director
Social Development Division, ECLAC
Expert Group Meeting on Adolescents, Youth and
Development
New York, July 21 and 22, 2011