|
|
The schooling of adolescents in Latin America
|
Cultural, pedagogical and educational policy challenges
Over the past two decades, there has been a significant increase in the schooling of adolescents in Latin America. Decision-makers, planners and managers were compelled to respond to the increasing demand for education at the secondary level. But the fact is that not only are there more students in secondary schools, but they are different from past decades. Indeed, these new students have a very particular social and cultural profile. Current policy challenges have changed, focusing now on retention, efficiency, quality and equity.
International Forum held in Buenos Aires on 14–15 September 2011
These ideas were developed by educational specialists participating in the International Forum organized by IIEP’s office in Buenos Aires in mid-September 2011. Over 500 people attended the Forum: government officials, school head teachers, secondary school teachers, educational specialists and researchers coming from all Latin American countries. Ministers of Education from Argentina and Paraguay had the chance to develop a diagnosis and an overview of the main policy strategies implemented in their countries so that secondary education may timely and appropriately meet the new demands of children, adolescents and the society as a whole.
Conferences and debates allowed participants to identify and distinguish old and new secondary education issues in the current Latin American context. Some of these are structural problems, typical of the complex relationship among generations. However, structural and cultural changes of societies today present new challenges to the school system.
Links:
