In Guatemala, we are becoming increasingly aware of the devastating consequences of malnutrition within our population. The latest National Maternal and Child Health Survey (2014–2015) revealed that 46.5% of children suffer from chronic malnutrition, placing us with the worst rate in Latin America and among the most backward countries in the world. To understand the magnitude of this scourge, it is enough to compare ourselves with Haiti and Honduras, where chronic malnutrition stands at 22%, less than half the rate of Guatemala. Even more alarming, we are worse off than countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad, and Mozambique, and only slightly above Eritrea, Niger, and Burundi, which occupy the lowest positions in the Human Development Index. These figures not only reflect a humanitarian crisis, but also an obstacle to our development as a nation.
Faced with this crisis, the private sector has acted decisively. The “Guatemaltecos por la Nutrición” program by Cervecería Centroamericana has implemented comprehensive strategies to break the vicious cycle of malnutrition by addressing biological, environmental, and economic factors. Through training, nutritional monitoring, and mobile brigades in remote communities such as Santa Eulalia in Huehuetenango, this initiative represents a ray of hope for thousands of children whose physical and cognitive development is at risk. Without interventions such as this one, their future would be marked by disadvantage and lack of opportunity.
Guatemala is not only facing a physical nutrition crisis, but also an educational one, which further aggravates the situation. We are moved by child malnutrition, yet we overlook an equally critical reality: the educational backwardness condemning our youth. How can we lift thousands of Guatemalans out of poverty if we do not prioritize their education? Secondary school is the space where essential skills for critical thinking and technological progress are cultivated, elements that are indispensable for competing in a globalized world and attracting foreign investment. Let us also remember that in Guatemala only 6% of those with secondary education live in extreme poverty.
We are satisfied with having a 95% enrollment rate in primary school, but we overlook a critical problem: only 78% complete it. Many believe this is enough to access basic jobs, without understanding that the true development of technological potential and critical thinking occurs in secondary school. While countries such as Armenia and Bulgaria, which have experienced GDP per capita growth exceeding 10% annually, have invested in expanding educational coverage until half their populations complete secondary school, Guatemala lags behind. Barely one-third of our youth begin this educational level, and only 18% complete it, placing us at the level of African countries such as Lesotho and Kenya, far below Belize, Guyana, and the Dominican Republic, and light-years behind Trinidad and Tobago, where two out of every three young people finish secondary school.
But we are not only behind in educational coverage, we are also lagging in the quality of learning. The PISA 2022 tests reveal a disturbing panorama: Guatemala ranks far below the world average in mathematics, reading, and science. Surprisingly, even our students with greater economic resources perform worse than the most vulnerable sectors in countries such as Turkey and Vietnam. According to the Lynn and Vanhanen formula, these results suggest an average IQ of 78, considering that an IQ of 80 is the minimum threshold for basic functional performance. This represents a tremendous disadvantage for our youth in acquiring the essential skills demanded by the modern labor market.
Investing money, time, and effort in education is not an option; it is an unavoidable necessity for our future as a nation. Otherwise, what kind of future are we leaving to our children and grandchildren?
This educational backwardness is not only an academic problem, but also a direct threat to the national economy. While countries such as Singapore and Estonia have strengthened their educational systems to drive innovation, Guatemala remains trapped in a low-skilled labor model that is becoming increasingly uncompetitive. Without a workforce trained in critical thinking and technology, it will be impossible to attract foreign investment or integrate into global value chains. Emerging countries such as Armenia, Bulgaria, and Georgia demonstrate that achieving greater coverage and quality in secondary education is key to transforming a nation’s competitiveness. Every year that a young Guatemalan fails to access secondary education, the country loses valuable human capital necessary to attract investment and generate quality employment.
Neuroplasticity offers hope that many people could improve their performance with the right environment, but that potential does not develop automatically. Most students do not receive innovative pedagogical strategies nor have access to teachers with continuous training and programs that promote competencies in science and technology. This deficiency, aggravated by malnutrition and lack of early stimulation, is not limited to impoverished or rural areas: more and more middle-class and affluent families are showing poor nutritional habits and children without adequate supervision or guidance. How much longer can we afford to ignore it?
Improvement requires intervention in key areas. It is vital to strengthen teacher training in active methodologies, modernize curricula from preschool and primary school onward, promote scholarships and subsidies to prevent dropout rates, and integrate internships and practical training coordinated with the private sector. In addition, diagnostic evaluations are necessary to detect and correct deficiencies before students accumulate learning gaps impossible to overcome in secondary school or diversified education.
This commitment must involve everyone. The government must expand the supply of public secondary education, since the private sector currently provides 70% of diversified education, a reality that is unsustainable if we are to close the educational gap. If only one out of every three students begins secondary school, how will we stop it from being an inaccessible luxury for the poorest? Private schools must radically improve the quality of their teaching to close the gap with international standards, even among the most privileged social strata. Business leaders can help ensure their employees complete secondary school and strengthen their capabilities. And you and I can encourage those around us to finish this educational level and broaden their horizons by learning languages, technology, or any other competency that integrates them into an increasingly competitive world.
Investing money, time, and effort in education is not an option; it is an unavoidable necessity for our future as a nation. Otherwise, what kind of future are we leaving to our children and grandchildren? Do we truly want to condemn future generations to a country without opportunities? We cannot wait any longer to change our destiny. The commitment of every citizen is vital to building a country with real opportunities for everyone.
