Toward a Fairer Education System in Chile

Is an open society possible when education is segregated by one’s ability to pay for it? In Chile, education is largely privatized; nearly 40 percent of all education spending comes from households in the form of tuition fees. How does this affect the ability of all citizens to access a quality education?

Above, Giorgio Jackson, a newly elected parliamentarian and former leader of the Chilean student movement, explains the significance of recent political and social changes in Chile and the impact on the right to education.

A fair and inclusive system that makes education available to all is a powerful lever for a fair and open society. It enhances social cohesion and trust. Chileans want an education system that promotes education as public good and enables all citizens to engage in critical thinking and free expression.

The Open Society Education Support Program works with local NGO partners in Chile to strengthen the social movement for a just education system. This involves a national process for citizen dialogue through an inclusive online collaboration platform, to help guide policies in the education sector and produce a blueprint for a system based on the right to education.