The OECD Alerts About The 'NiNis' In Mexico

The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) asks that measures be taken to stop young Mexicans from dropping out of high school, according to proceso.com.mx.

Mexico has the highest number of young people that neither study nor work. It is the third country, among those countries that belong to the OECD and ten more, with the biggest number of what they call "the NiNis" (Ni Estudian, Ni Trabajan), which means precisely that they 'neither study nor work'. The "NiNis" in Mexico are estimated to be almost seven and a half million people between the ages 15 to 29.

The OECD's mission, according to their website www.oecd.org, is to promote policies that improve the social and economic status of people around the world. That is why they are paying special attention to Mexico and the difficulties that their youth is having at studying and accessing employment.

Gabriela Ramos, OECD's Chief Of Staff, said during a videoconference from Paris, France, that in no other country has there been such a brutal downfall in matters of middle and higher education as in Mexico. Other countries in Latin America, like Chile, have 27 percent of their young people from ages 20 to 29 in college. In Argentina, that number rises up to 28 percent. And in Brazil, 21 percent of their youths are in college. Finland, which is the leader in matters of academic achievements, has 42 percent of their young people in college.

This situation may have been caused by a structural failure. Paradoxically, in Mexico there is a particular phenomenon: the more educated are less likely to find a job.

Ramos also remarked that 40 percent of young people are lost in the transition from high school to college. From there onwards, comes loss after loss. Ramos also explained the problem from the economic point of view: Although Mexico sends a good 6.2 percent of its wealth to education, (the average amount for the other countries that belong to the OECD being 6.3), when it comes to the amount of money spent on each student, Mexico is among the lowest. Also, the country has the highest amount of students per teacher.

Ramos concluded that there are a number of aspects that should be taken into account in order to understand what's going on: socioeconomic conditions and the value given by families to education are two of them. She suggested support programs and scholarships, which could be specifically aimed at those living in poverty, so that they don't drop off from school too soon. Otherwise, only bad news will be arriving: they will have less aspirations, less chances at getting better jobs, salaries and less possibilities of growing in their careers.