Publication: Equity in Tertiary Education in Central America : An Overview
Date
2012-08
ISSN
Published
2012-08
Author(s)
Abstract
This paper analyzes the evolution in
socio-economic and ethnic disparities in tertiary education
attainment, participation, and completion and labor market
outcomes in the six countries of Central America. There is
evidence of differential progress, with Costa Rica, a
middle-income country, and Nicaragua, a low-income country,
having improved participation of low-income students in
tertiary education, while this continues to be negligible in
Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Wide differentials in
salaries linked to socio-economic background can signal
differences in the quality of tertiary education or prior
educational experiences. The analysis distinguishes between
long-term and short-term constraints and the key transitions
in the education cycle that impede access to tertiary
education. The main obstacle to accessing tertiary education
for poor students is the failure to either start or complete
secondary education, suggesting different priorities for
different countries in addressing long-term constraints.
However, problems also arise within tertiary education, as
in all countries the average tertiary education completion
rate is below 50 percent, with even lower rates for students
from low-income families and indigenous backgrounds. The
paper uses an OECD framework for public policies for
promoting equity in tertiary education to assess policies in
Central American countries and concludes that many of them
currently lack the policies, instruments, and institutional
mechanisms to promote greater equity in tertiary education.
The paper highlights how valuable insights can be obtained
from analysis of household survey data in the absence of
comprehensive data on tertiary education which is typical of
many developing countries.
Citation
“Bashir, Sajitha; Luque, Javier. 2012. Equity in Tertiary Education in Central America : An Overview. Policy Research Working Paper;6180. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/fc42b01a-6578-511a-acbe-929e6efbafb4 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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