This presentation presents a historical overview of the privatization of education in Chile.

1. Advocating Against the
privatisation of education:
The Chilean experience
Javier González D.
Affiliated Lecturer
Centre of Development Studies
University of Cambridge

2. The Neoliberal Paradise:
Coercion + Persuasion
Javier González D.

3. 1980`s Reforms
• Pinochet Dictatorship committed to Neoliberal reforms
and eliminating “Marxist threat” at all costs.
• Influence of Chicago School of Economics (Friedman).
• Influence of World Bank and IMF’s policies.

4. 1980`s Reforms: Main pillars
School Level Reforms.
• Decentralization of Governance:
• School administration transfered to municipalities, but with no capacity
building.
• Deregulation of teacher labour market:
• No longer civil servants
• Weakening of Unions
• Introduction of voucher system:
• School funding based on attendance
• Increase of private providers
• Information
• Incipient national assessment system

5. Results
School Level Reforms.
1. Has it worked?
2. Why free choice does not work in education?
• Asymetries of Information
• Quality Improvement: selection vs competition
• Quality Improvement: captive demand vs free mobility of students
• The importance of Money: fees and the lack of a levelled field
• Social Segregation
• Nature of education: cooperation and social right vs competition and profit

6. Social Movements:
• Reclaimed the State
• Promotion of Social
Citizenship
Social movements 2006 and 2011: New
Hope?

7. Education and L.A. societies: A unique
moment for change
• Context:
• Global Financial Crisis 2008 (Questioning of NL paradigms)
• Left wing governments in LA
• Positive Commodity Cycle
• Civil and Student Protests in LA
• Effects so far in Chile:
• Political (Nueva Mayoria and Gov. Program),
• Ideological (Social Agenda at the centre),
• Legal (Tax Reform, Educational Reform: Profit, Selection, Cost-sharing).
• Nevertheless, social change and reforms are not
guaranteed!!!

8. Shaping the future: Relevance of
Int. Advocacy
Why promote international advocacy?
• Learn from other countries
• Use the Chilean experience as a case study of ‘what doesn’t work’
• Create and strengthen partnership and advocacy networks
• Make good use of mechanism available in UN Human Right
Commission to increase national pressure for change and strengthen
local position.

9. Shaping the future: Advocacy
Experience from red
How can we use the UN Human Rights Commission mechanisms to promote effective
advocacy?
Key Actors:
• Chilean NGOs => RED, Opcion,
• International Partners (Global Initiative, Open Society Foundation, etc).
CRC
Concluding
Observations
Review
Meeting
Gov.
Response
CRC
Pre-session
National
Gov. Report
Alternative
Coalition
Report
CRC Active
Participatio
n
+
Embassy
Discussion
CRC
ISSUES
Press
Conference
=> Local
Pressure
CRC
Participatio
n
Press
Conference
=> Local
Pressure

10. Advocating Against the
privatisation of education:
The Chilean experience
Javier González D.
Affiliated Lecturer
Centre of Development Studies
University of Cambridge

11. SIMCE: aggregate performance hasn´t changed
much…
4th grade math results

12. SIMCE: ACADEMIC inequalities
persist in time
4th grade math results by SES

13. Enrolment is segregated
Enrolment by type of school and income quintile of students 2000
68
41
10
28
45
36
4
14
54
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Municipal Part subv Part pagado
V
III+IV
I+II

14. PRIVATE FAMILY BUDGET PLAYS AN
IMPORTANTE ROLE

15. relevance of family budget
Simulación Urbano-Particular Subvencionado
0
10.000
20.000
30.000
40.000
50.000
60.000
70.000
Subvención Base Otras Subvenciones Aporte Municipal
Exclusivo Prioritarios Distribuido en total de alumnos Pago por Concentración
Fondo Solidario Aporte Padres (Finan. Comp.)
LACK OF LEVELED FIELD

16. WHY IS THIS SEGREGATION POSSIBLE:
relevance of family budget
Simulación Urbano-Particular Subvencionado
0
10.000
20.000
30.000
40.000
50.000
60.000
70.000
Subvención Base Otras Subvenciones Aporte Municipal
Exclusivo Prioritarios Distribuido en total de alumnos Pago por Concentración
Fondo Solidario Aporte Padres (Finan. Comp.)

17. WHY IS THIS SEGREGATION POSSIBLE:
Selection PRACTICES
% of parents that declare having been screened
MUN
PSUB
PPAG

18. Informed Choice?
% of parents who know the school’s SIMCE

19. Competition or cream-skimming?
% of parents that declare having been screened
MUN
PSUB
PPAG

20. Choosing quality education?
Parent chose school because it is next to their house