The Programme for International Student Assessment, or PISA, evaluates what 15-year-old students know and can do in science, reading, and math. In the 2018 round, 79 countries and economies participated in the test. From Latin America and the Caribbean, ten countries participated: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay.
The large magnitude and sudden nature of recent migration flows in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) impose challenges to receiving countries health systems, which have to provide care to a larger population. These challenges are magnified by the fact that recent waves of migrants are particularly vulnerable to health risks in LAC and may not have full access to healthcare.
This brochure summarizes key information for effective use of digital tools to interact with the population during public health emergencies for Latin America and the Caribbean. It answers 6 key questions: What are digital tools for population interaction?; Why are these tools important for the public health emergencies?; What are some examples?; What elements are needed to get started?; What considerations are important to contemplate when getting started?; and What should I monitor to see if the tool is effective in my context?
As a consequence of the rapid spread of COVID-19, the entire world is suddenly engaged in the biggest distance learning experiment in history. In Latin America and the Caribbean, radio and TV have been the most common technologies used to reach students and deliver education. Technology is a powerful tool, if not the only tool to ensure the continuity of learning during a time of emergency. But technology is not a panacea to all problems education systems encounter.
The quality of center-based child care, which depends upon the type of environment and the types of interactions between caregivers and children, is thought to be of critical importance for improving child development outcomes. This report describes the study design, the empirical strategy, and the baseline results for a randomized control trial which upgraded public child care centers in Panama. Data were collected on child care centers and on eligible children and families that lived near the centers.
We employ recent household surveys and population censuses to present a profile of immigrants in Latin America and the Caribbean, with a focus on economic integration. By comparing the profile of immigrants with that of the non-immigrant population we identify gaps in several dimensions such as education, informality and skill downgrading. The exercise allows us to discuss some migration-related topics that are important not only for the countries that are receiving the bulk of the Venezuelan migration but also more generally across the region.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges and new perspectives for early childhood agendas, including efforts to measure children’s development, which are more pressing now than ever. This post gives an update on some of these efforts in the midst of the emergency. In addition, we introduce an innovative child development curve that uses a common scale for all age ranges, allowing comparisons across ages and countries.
Students are slowly returning to schools. However, schools are not the same as before, and they are gradually transitioning to a “new normal’’. Experts foresee that COVID-19 will forever alter the world order and paint a new landscape for education. Schools in the education systems that opened recently offer a glimpse of what this change may look like.
Entry by Anne Sofie Olsen and Javier Prado.
The negative effects that COVID-19 will affect all sectors of the economy, including the education sector. On June 9, 2020, Lenín Moreno, President of the Republic of Ecuador, announced the draft of the Organic Law of Humanitarian Support[1] which states that parents who have lost their jobs and have their children in private educational establishments will receive a support of up to 25% of the monthly tuition fees. If they decide not to continue attending a private school, a spot will be guaranteed in a public one.
With the closure of ECD centers and preschools in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, young children are among the most affected by the interruption in access to learning opportunities, and by the temporary loss of the protective space offered by school environments. Experts warn of likely long-lasting effects on young children’s socioemotional and cognitive development as learning has shifted from school rooms to living rooms.