OECD study shows less inequality in Chilean education in past years

Chilean students had the biggest improvement in reading ability among OECD countries from 2000 to 2009, according to new data analysis.


The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released a new report Tuesday on the link between students’ academic performance and their socioeconomic background, highlighting a reduction in the achievement gap among Chilean students.



“Chile is the OECD country with the biggest increase in performance, the country that has improved their rating scores the most,” said Guillermo Montt of the OECD’s Education and Skills Directorate.

In Chile, the performance gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students narrowed by more than 15 points between 2000 and 2009, while the average performance in reading improved by 40 points, equal to a year of schooling.

The report analyzed data from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), an international study launched by the OECD in 1997 with an objective to evaluate education systems worldwide. Over 70 countries and economies have participated in PISA as it assesses the competence of 15-year-olds in the key subjects of reading, mathematics and science every three years.

Montt attributed the improvements to a combination of education policies and broader social change, stemming from the nation’s general shift toward a more mature stage of development.