The recent INE report on living conditions in Guatemala reveals a compelling fact: people without education are the most affected by poverty. It also highlights that the level of education has a direct impact on the chances of escaping poverty, especially extreme poverty. Among the most relevant findings:
- No person with university studies lives in extreme poverty;
- 68.0% of those without studies live in poverty or extreme poverty;
- 60.9% of those studying primary school are poor or live in extreme poverty;
- 38.1% of those studying secondary school live in poverty or extreme poverty;
- However, those who complete secondary school rarely suffer extreme poverty, since only 6.3% of this group lives in extreme vulnerability;
- 61.9% of those with secondary education are NOT poor, meaning that almost two out of every three people with secondary studies escape poverty.
These data show that education, especially secondary education, plays a key role in social mobility. Nevertheless, the Guatemalan government allocates only 9% of its education budget to secondary and diversified education, while 72% is assigned to Ministry administration and primary education. This leaves secondary education, the true engine for escaping poverty, in a weak position within the educational system. Moreover, in President Arévalo’s new proposed budget for 2025, education is the third ministry with the lowest percentage growth, after interior and energy and mines.
The question then arises: how can we strengthen access to and the quality of secondary education in Guatemala? Educational innovation models have proven successful in other parts of the world. A clear example is the School Voucher program of the Ministry of Education and Merit in Lombardy, Italy.
This program grants an educational “voucher” to families with incomes of up to 40 thousand euros per year, allowing them to choose where they want their children to study, whether in private or public institutions. The program covers tuition, educational materials, and assistance for students with disabilities. In addition, it rewards academic merit. This comprehensive approach has allowed the program, launched in 2002, to continue for more than two decades while significantly reducing school dropout rates.
In addition to guaranteeing resources, the program stands out for its respect for families’ freedom of choice, a crucial aspect in promoting educational autonomy. In Guatemala, a similar scheme could be an effective response to improve the quality of secondary education, encouraging competition and allowing more students to access opportunities that are currently limited to those who can afford private education.
Investing in secondary education and creating programs that encourage freedom of choice and merit may be the key for the next Bill Gates or Elon Musk to be born not in Silicon Valley, but in San Antonio Huista or San José La Arada.
The case of Lombardy is not isolated. In Soria, Spain, a region where 22.4% of the population is at risk of poverty, it has managed to gain recognition for educational excellence. This province, known as “little Finland,” has achieved the best educational results in the entire Community of Castilla y León, reaching levels comparable to Canada and the Nordic countries.
What explains this success? It is not only a matter of resources, but of society’s commitment. In Soria, teachers, students, and parents understand that education is the key to a better future. Public schools open in the afternoons to support struggling students and offer scientific workshops during vacations for high-performing students. Parents teach younger children that in order to escape poverty, they must become educated. This individualized attention model not only raises educational standards, but also reinforces students’ self-esteem, giving them tools to improve their performance.
The success of Soria and Lombardy demonstrates that, in addition to a well-distributed budget, the key to success lies in a comprehensive approach that combines freedom of choice, individualized support, and a strong social commitment to education. The question we must ask ourselves in Guatemala is: how can we replicate these innovative models and adapt them to our reality?
Investing in secondary education and creating programs that encourage freedom of choice and merit may be the key for the next Bill Gates or Elon Musk to be born not in Silicon Valley, but in San Antonio Huista or San José La Arada. Betting on education is not only an investment in the individual future of Guatemalans, but in the prosperity of the entire country.
