inequality and discrimination in tertiary education camilo garcia, m. ed

Inequality and Discrimination Inequality and Discrimination in Tertiary Educationin Tertiary Education

Camilo Garcia, M. Ed.Camilo Garcia, M. Ed.

“The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.”

By: Diogenes Laertius, author of The Lives of the Philosophers

Inequality and Discrimination in Inequality and Discrimination in Tertiary EducationTertiary Education

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Historical overview of Tertiary Historical overview of Tertiary Education in the AmericasEducation in the Americas


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Four basic structural ‘models’ for tertiary Four basic structural ‘models’ for tertiary institutions:institutions:

Elitist Elitist – aims at quantitative limitations– aims at quantitative limitations VerticalVertical – Structured and separated components– Structured and separated components Unitary model Unitary model – aims to establish uniformity to reduce inequality– aims to establish uniformity to reduce inequality Recurrent education Recurrent education – the acquisition of occupational – the acquisition of occupational

qualifications qualifications

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1.1. Martin Trow's definition of access to Higher EducationMartin Trow's definition of access to Higher Education

2.2. Economic factorsEconomic factors

3.3. Lack of cohesionLack of cohesion

4.4. Student Affairs ComponentsStudent Affairs Components

5.5. Weaknesses in the systemWeaknesses in the system

6.6. Emergency EducationEmergency Education

7.7. Importance (value) given to education and other factorsImportance (value) given to education and other factors

8.8. IMF and WB requirements and demands on countriesIMF and WB requirements and demands on countries

9.9. Millennium Goals 2Millennium Goals 2ndnd Summit of the Americas Summit of the Americas

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1. 1. Martin Trow’s (1973) three phases in Martin Trow’s (1973) three phases in the the

development of higher education in development of higher education in every every

advanced society: advanced society:

Education for the eliteEducation for the elite (5 %)(5 %) Education for the massesEducation for the masses (20 %)(20 %) Universal education Universal education (60 %)(60 %)


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2. 2. Economic factorsEconomic factors Initial inequality is related to the frequently Initial inequality is related to the frequently

inadequate health and nutrition of poor childreninadequate health and nutrition of poor children Extremely high costs of tertiary educationExtremely high costs of tertiary education Tertiary education is exclusively private or extremely Tertiary education is exclusively private or extremely

competitivecompetitive During economic recession – tertiary education is During economic recession – tertiary education is

affectedaffected Need for child to workNeed for child to work Lack of opportunities after graduationLack of opportunities after graduation

- High unemployment ratesHigh unemployment rates- Lack of a labor market for given industryLack of a labor market for given industry- Need for a meritocratic and democratic societyNeed for a meritocratic and democratic society

Universal approach versus a particularistic approach Universal approach versus a particularistic approach to education and economic reformto education and economic reform

- Contemporary proposals often attempt a ‘fix all’ approach- Contemporary proposals often attempt a ‘fix all’ approach


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Source: http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2005/10/19/tuition

U.S. Higher Education Institutions

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Inequality and Discrimination in Inequality and Discrimination in Tertiary Higher EducationTertiary Higher Education

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Learning gap


Secondary and tertiary institutions are not working together to bridge gaps in tertiary opportunities

Weak linkages between universities and non-university tertiary institutions

No systems for the transfer of academic credits

Skill level

Short cycle for non-university

education

Educational dead-end

Low qualitySecondary

University

3. 3. Lack of cohesionLack of cohesion

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Low quality, lack of relevance Low quality, lack of relevance and brain drainand brain drain

Insufficient Insufficient qualifications of qualifications of university professorsuniversity professors

Deteriorating Deteriorating physical facilities, physical facilities, lack of equipment, lack of equipment, obsolete instruction obsolete instruction material and material and outdated curriculaoutdated curricula

University graduates University graduates do not meet the skills do not meet the skills needs in the needs in the economyeconomy

Professors with PhDs

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

UKBraz

ilChil

e

Argen

tina

LAC avera

ge

Venez

uela

Mex

ico

Colombia

Source: Brunner (2002), World Bank (2002); UK Higher Education Statistics Agency Individualized Staff Record 2001/02; García Gaudilla (1998) and Schwartzman and Balbachevsky (1996)


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4.4. Student Affairs ComponentsStudent Affairs Components

Feeling disenfranchisedFeeling disenfranchised Special treatment leads to resentmentSpecial treatment leads to resentment Lack of or no cultural cohesionLack of or no cultural cohesion No extra curricular componentNo extra curricular component


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55. . Weakness in the systemWeakness in the system

Low production and Low production and mobility of Ph.D.’s and mobility of Ph.D.’s and post-docspost-docs

Inward orientation of Inward orientation of university researchersuniversity researchers

Lack of incentives to Lack of incentives to commercialize commercialize research and solve research and solve real-life problems real-life problems

Red tape impeding Red tape impeding partnerships and partnerships and cross-sectoralcross-sectoral mobilitymobility

Degree of knowledge transfer between universities and industry

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Finlan

dIsr

ael

Chile

Colom

bia

Argen

tina

Brazil

Venez

uela

Mex

ico

Source: IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2003

Inequality and Discrimination in Tertiary EducationInequality and Discrimination in Tertiary Education - 14 -

Weak system and institutional managementWeak system and institutional management Weak university Weak university

management management structuresstructures

Insufficient capacity in Insufficient capacity in ministries of education ministries of education for sector oversight for sector oversight and strategyand strategy

Low access to relevant Low access to relevant management management informationinformation

Regionalgovernments

PrivateUniversities

PublicUniversities

RegionalTertiary institutions

Private Sector

International networks

ScienceAgency

TertiaryEducation

System

Ministry of Education,Science and Technology


Multilateral Organizations

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Large increase in tertiary enrollment Large increase in tertiary enrollment in recent decadesin recent decades

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

OECDChil

e

Argen

tina

Urugua

yPeru

Colombia

Mex

ico

El Salv

ador

Brazil

Hondur

as

Ter

tiar

y gr

oss

enro

llm

ent r

ate

1965 1975 1985 1995 2000

Source: WDI 2003


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Growth in private provision and non-university tertiary Growth in private provision and non-university tertiary educationeducation

Percent of total enrollment

Year 75%-40% 40%-30% 30%-20% 20%-10% Less than 10%

1985 BrazilColombiaDom. Republic

ChileEl SalvadorPeru

ArgentinaGuatemalaParaguay

Costa RicaEcuadorHondurasMexicoNicaraguaVenezuela

BoliviaPanamaUruguayCuba

2002* BrazilColombiaChileDom. RepublicEl SalvadorNicaraguaParaguayPeru

Venezuela

Costa RicaEcuadorArgentinaGuatemalaMexico

Honduras BoliviaPanamaUruguayCuba

Source: Schwartzman (2002); World Bank (2002c and 2003); Zúñiga (2003); OECD (2002a) and García Gaudilla (1998)

Inequality and Discrimination in Tertiary EducationInequality and Discrimination in Tertiary Education - 17 -

6.6. Emergency educationEmergency education Poor preparedness for:Poor preparedness for:

Civil war or armed conflict Civil war or armed conflict Natural disastersNatural disasters

I.E. Hurricane KatrinaI.E. Hurricane Katrina Economic issuesEconomic issues Political climate (lip service)Political climate (lip service) EpidemicsEpidemics


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7.7. Importance of educationImportance of education

Political lip service (campaign promises)Political lip service (campaign promises) Funding and proper allocationFunding and proper allocation Parents own educational achievementsParents own educational achievements Gender inequalityGender inequality Ethnic divisionsEthnic divisions Tertiary education seen as a luxuryTertiary education seen as a luxury


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8.8. IMF and World BankIMF and World Bank Lack of seriousness: UN Millennium Project Lack of seriousness: UN Millennium Project

has found that multilateral and bilateral has found that multilateral and bilateral institutions have not encouraged the institutions have not encouraged the countries to take the MDG seriously as countries to take the MDG seriously as operational objectivesoperational objectives

IMF and WB loan requirements are stringent IMF and WB loan requirements are stringent and lead developing nations to compromises and lead developing nations to compromises that are not always in their country’s that are not always in their country’s economic and socials best interests.economic and socials best interests.

Knowledge based economy (WB, 2003)Knowledge based economy (WB, 2003)


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9.9. Millennium Goals:Millennium Goals:

EducationEducation Universal primary education, Universal primary education, expanded expanded

secondary and tertiary education by 2015secondary and tertiary education by 2015 Gender equalityGender equality Science, technology and innovationScience, technology and innovation


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Source: UN MDG Report

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22ndnd Summit of the Americas Summit of the AmericasThe principal objective set by the 2The principal objective set by the 2ndnd Summit of the Americas consisted Summit of the Americas consisted of:of:

Universal access to quality primary education for Universal access to quality primary education for all children and access to quality secondary education for at least all children and access to quality secondary education for at least 75 percent of young people while providing the general 75 percent of young people while providing the general population with opportunities for life-long learningpopulation with opportunities for life-long learning

However, secretary general Jose Miguel Insulza However, secretary general Jose Miguel Insulza recently stated that the most talked about and advanced topic recently stated that the most talked about and advanced topic was the free trade negotiations. Primary example of lip service.was the free trade negotiations. Primary example of lip service.

Inequality and Discrimination Inequality and Discrimination in Tertiary Higher Educationin Tertiary Higher Education

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CP15633

inequality and discrimination in tertiary education camilo garcia, m. ed

Documents

tertiary higher education

universal education

competitive tertiary

tertiary education source

emergency education

inequality recurrent

higher education institutions

tertiary institutions