Population, territory and sustainable development

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Figure VIII.4
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN (16 COUNTRIES): NET ENROLMENT RATIO
IN PRIMARY EDUCATION AND PRIMARY EDUCATION COMPLETION RATE
IN URBAN AREAS, CENSUS DATA FOR THE 2000s
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Argentina
Bolivia
(Plur. State of)
Brazil
Chile
Costa Rica
Ecuador
El Salvador
Guatemala
Honduras
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Dominican Rep.
Venezuela
(Bol. Rep. of)
Net enrolment ratio in primary education
Primary education completion rate
Source: Latin American and Caribbean Demographic Centre (CELADE) - Population Division of ECLAC, Spatial distribution
and urbanization in Latin America and the Caribbean (DEPUALC) database.
But recent urban growth areas and neighbourhoods are plagued by a shortage of education
infrastructure, while the quality of learning varies with the location of the institution. In general, wealthier
neighbourhoods are characterized by a more extensive supply and better quality. In addition, the better
quality public institutions tend to be concentrated in the city centre, which means longer trips and higher
transport costs for lower-income segments of the population. There are also deficits in preschool coverage
and in the lengthening of the school day in public education.
Reducing these gaps is crucial: “Education plays a decisive role in the search for equality.
Learning that is less segmented by socioeconomic level, gender, territory and ethnic origin will help
reduce the inequality gap from one generation to the next” (ECLAC, 2010a).
The deficit in public spaces is defined as the unmet need for public use areas, spaces or places
(open or closed) that promote recreation, relaxation, interchange, social integration, the preservation of
historical and cultural heritage and contact with nature (MINVU, 2009). All the countries of the region
have a public-space deficit in urban areas. In some cases, the number of green areas per inhabitant is far
below the recommended ratio at both national and international levels, especially in poorer urban areas or
neighbourhoods. Another problem associated with this deficit is the inadequate, scarce or non-existent
maintenance of plazas, parks and green areas in general, which leads to a degeneration of public real
estate, trees and plants. There is also a shortage of public sports and recreation facilities (stadiums, indoor
gymnasiums, multipurpose fields, and so forth), which is most evident in the lowest-income districts in
the cities. The creation and maintenance of public spaces usually falls to local governments, which