The Ecuadorian Constitution requires that all children attend school until they achieve a “basic level of education,” which is estimated at nine school years.[1] Research has been published placing the quality of education in Ecuador as the worst in Latin America.[2]
Primary and secondary [edit]
In 1996, the net primary enrollment rate was 96.9 percent, and 71.8 percent of children stayed in school until the fifth grade.[1] Primary school attendance rates were unavailable for Ecuador as of 2001.[1]
While enrollment rates indicate a level of commitment to education, they do not always reflect children’s participation in school.[1] The cost of primary and secondary education is borne by the government, but families often face significant additional expenses such as fees and transportation costs.[1] In 2000, government spending on education declined, both in real terms and as a proportion of GDP.[1] By 2012, GDP spending had gone from 2.6% to 5.2%.
Tertiary [edit]
During the 1998-1999 school year, almost 235,000 students were enrolled in institutions of higher education, or approximately 14% of the population between 18-24 years old. Approximately 80% attend public universities while the other 20% attend private universities. The Central University of Ecuador and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito account for almost 50% of enrollments. The graduation rate at public universities is rarely more than 15%.
The 2008 Constitution of Ecuador eliminated tuition in public universities.[4][5] Starting in 2012, admission to the country’s 29 public universities will be based on an aptitude test.[5]
See also [edit]
References [edit]
