Written by: Emiliana Vegas Education is a high-priority issue for the Pacific Alliance. The heads of state of the member countries —Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Peru — have recognized that investing in education is key to consolidate this platform and work toward the development of their economies. With this conviction in mind, a dialogue has been initiated between these … [Lee más...] about Investing in the future of the Pacific Alliance: its youth
School Dropout
What if the prince were a dropout?
Last week it seemed like the whole world got involved in the royal birth, taking bets on the new prince’s gender, weight, name and arrival time. This betting is all in good fun but it got us thinking about the babies who have the odds stacked against them, even before they enter the world. Right now Latin American kids have about a 50/50 chance of graduating high school. … [Lee más...] about What if the prince were a dropout?
Can education be improved by a decree?
United States president, Barack Obama, believes so. Or at least he believes that the law is an effective tool for increasing the rate of high school graduations. President Obama has called for compulsory school attendance until students either graduate or turn 18. The debate is at the table. Supporters of this proposal indicate that this type of measures increase the number of … [Lee más...] about Can education be improved by a decree?
Overcoming boredom, spurring creativity, and challenging assumptions in education
Between 2006 and 2009, over 275,000 high school students participated in the High School Survey of Student Engagement, which is implemented annually in the United States. The survey focuses on three areas: why students go to school, level of boredom, and the risk of dropping out. The findings were consistent during this period. Nearly 7 out of 10 students go to school because … [Lee más...] about Overcoming boredom, spurring creativity, and challenging assumptions in education
Pills for curing school dropout?: Part II
As I wrote in my previous post, the pill to prevent the “pain of others,” i.e. dropping out of school, is volunteerism provided through youth social services, and especially by the relatively privileged young people whose education and future are guaranteed. This idea is not new, and the region already offers many very interesting examples. Among them are “Mentores Solidarios” … [Lee más...] about Pills for curing school dropout?: Part II