Illiteracy and Education in Modern Latin America

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Education in Latin America

INTRODUCTION

Education in Latin America has a history dating back to the period shortly after the wars of independence (1819-1825 )[Jack Hopkins] However pioneer educational institutions were established way back in the 16th century and have had as the primary function the preparation of clergymen to proliferate the catholic faith as well as training of administration officers for colonial empire . The rich also could afford to educate their male children (Walsh , 47 . Later on countries such as Argentina , Chile

and Uruguay were the first ones to offer extensive basic education

In the last half century education in Latin America has been characterized by persisting

inequalities with educational opportunities going to the privileged few at the expense of ordinary citizens . There is a big divide between genders as well as between urban and rural populations . Additionally the poor as well as indigenous populations are continuously discriminated against when it comes to educational opportunities (Hopkins 119

There has been marked growth of education in Latin American . While there were only about 16million students enrolled in primary , secondary and institutions of higher learning in 1950 , the number had increased dramatically from 14 .2 million to 85million between 1950 and 2000 while secondary education grew sixteen fold in the same period . However school enrollment as well as the quality of education continues to lag behind other countries even in the developing nations especially in Asia . It is worth noting that higher education has grown tremendously in Latin America between 1950 and 1990 .From 1 .5 million students in institutions of higher learning to about 7 million in 1990 spread between 2500 institutions up from about 600 institutions (Brunner , 212 . Education in Latin America differs from country to country because some countries allocate more resources towards the development of education than others . It has been established that countries like Brazil , Costa Rica Cuba and Mexico have allocated a higher percentage of their Gross Domestic Product towards education sector (Walsh , 47 . Latin America has high illiteracy rates as well as low standards of education . This seeks to compare the education Latinos receive in Latin America to the education they receive in Massachusetts as well as examine the illiteracy rates with reference to all countries in Latin America

Massachusetts

Latinos are the largest minority group in Massachusetts . Latino poverty in Massachusetts is 47 and is the highest Latino poverty rate in the country . The Latinos are also the poorest group in Boston . As is widely acknowledged , poverty is closely related with problems in education The number of Latino students in public education in Massachusetts increased by 58 from 1980 to 1988

In 1988 , although almost 7 of Massachusetts public school students were Latino , just over 1 of all public school employees were Latinos Uriarte , Osterman Melyndez , 1992 cited in Walsh , 47 Twenty-three percent or approximately 14 ,933 students in the BPS are Latinos , yet 8 .06 or 360 teachers and administrators are Latinos Uriarte , Osterman Melyndez , 1992 cited...