Expansion of the Concept of Equity in Education in Latin America: Background and Implications

Abstract

As evidenced by many educational reforms carrying in their objectives a phrase of ‘improvement of equity and quality’, the last decade of the 20^th century marked a shift in the central issue of basic education in Latin America from quality to both quality and equity. Likewise, an increasing number of Latin American education scholars and practitioners started to argue the need for the conceptual expansion from ‘equity in access’ to ‘equal quality of learning for all’ and ‘equity in learning results.’ Why was such change claimed necessary when the education systems in the region had long been characterized by high segregation and inequitable distribution of opportunities? The present paper explores the situation in which the term ‘equity in education’ turned into a primary concern and in which the expansion of the concept of equity came to encompass ‘equity in results.’ It also highlights strategy changes in basic education policies as the result of the new emphasis on equity, in particular, on equity in results.

Findings of the paper are as follows. First, a review of the regional education agenda over the years revealed that the term ‘equity’ appeared only from the early 1990s, coinciding with the time of the proposed expansion to ‘equity in results.’ Second, as the backdrop of the emphasis on equity was the growing concern that efficiency and competition, two thrusts of the neo-liberal policies that were fuelling education policies, might end up worsening the already serious problem of inequity. Empirical evidence from the field proved this skepticism to be well founded. The argument for more substantial equity in education was a persuasive one for governments wishing to sustain socio-economic growth, consolidate democracy, and ultimately create a knowledge-based society with social equity. As the result of the conceptual expansion, greater emphasis is now being placed on compensatory programs in basic education to boost the learning of the deprived, and on other programs tailored to meet the diversified needs of low performing schools.