A recent study released this week by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) provides an overview of the educational deficits that exist in Chile compared to other countries in the organization, highlighting the low salaries of students. teachers, although according to the same study these have increased.
The global conclusions of the study Education overview 2023: OECD indicatorsshow that the school enrollment rate for children over the age of four is on average 74% across OECD countries, although figures vary widely before this age. These differences are important because the study suggests that early school entry allows women to be more integrated into the labor market, as they are the ones to whom childcare is associated.
The study also warns that 14% of people aged 25 to 34 in OECD countries have not completed their secondary education (equivalent to secondary education in Chile), a figure down from 18% in 2015.
On average, teachers in Chile earn a salary that is 65% of that of a professional with the same level of education.
“In many OECD countries, teaching is not an economically attractive career option. “On average, the real salaries of lower secondary teachers are 10% lower than those of university-educated workers, but in some countries the difference is more than 30%,” the study says in another key overall conclusion.
This is one of Chile’s weak points, as teachers in Chile earn, on average, a salary that is only 65% of that of a professional with the same level of education. Chile is the third OECD country with the lowest salaries for teachers compared to other professionals, after Hungary (53%) and the United States (58%). Additionally, Chilean school principals can earn up to twice the legal salary of a teacher.
Although Chile is in the bottom group for teacher salaries in OECD countries, the country has improved teacher salaries by 30% in recent years.
The general parameters the study measures: TO. The outcomes of educational institutions and the impact of learningb. Access to education, participation and progressC Financial resources invested in educationy D Teachers, teaching environment and school organization.
Chile has a worrying level – and one of the highest for young people – when looking at young people aged between 18 and 24 who are neither working nor studying, the well-known “NEETS”, just behind Greece at 31%. , at 33%, while the OECD average is only 15%.
In general, Chile is below average on several indicators in each dimension of the study, but not in the worst positions, considering that the OECD includes in its measurement the majority of already developed countries and others that have shown progress in their fields Development paths.
In contrast, Chile is above average in education investment as a share of GDP, reaching 6.5% in 2019.
The study highlights that in Chile there is still a high percentage of people completing higher education and there is even a high number of working women between the ages of 25 and 34.
However, Chile has a worrying figure – and one of the highest for young people – when looking at young people between 18 and 24 years old who are neither working nor studying, the well-known “NEETS”, at 31%, only for lies at 33% among Greece, while the OECD average is only 15%.
The study highlights that in Chile there is still a high percentage of people completing higher education and there is even a high number of working women between the ages of 25 and 34.
“In Chile, the data comes from 2020 and was collected in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic. This could explain the high NEET rates. It is important to prevent young people from becoming NEET or to minimize their duration. Young people who are NEETs not only miss out on immediate learning and employment opportunities, but also suffer long-term effects. “NEET status has been associated with various adverse outcomes, such as lower employment rates and lower earnings later in life,” the study said.
Another worrying figure is that in Chile the ratio of students per teacher is very high (one teacher for 21 students), compared to the average of OECD countries, where there is one teacher for 14 students. Another unfortunate fact is that Chile is in the group that spends the least money per student, along with Mexico, Bulgaria, Colombia and Turkey, all of which spend less than $6,000 per year per student in secondary education.
