Moving towards inclusion

Abstract

Increasing the levels of quality and equity in education systems has become a priority objective of the educational policies and reforms promoted in Latin American countries. This is an ethical imperative that education decision-makers, teachers and society as a whole can no longer ignore, given the high levels of inequality and segmentation that undermine the social cohesion and integration of our peoples.

If we aspire to build more inclusive, just and democratic societies, education must make a decisive contribution to reducing and compensating for the inequalities of origin of students, in order to ensure their full participation, maximum learning and personal development.

There is now empirical evidence that one of the factors contributing to school failure, low learning outcomes and the marginalisation of many students is the inability of schools to adjust teaching to the heterogeneity of students' abilities, socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Making the right to quality education for all a reality necessarily implies that we take measures aimed at equalising opportunities for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.