Argentina Today

Ten million argentines find themselves in a situation of poverty. In 2004, the poverty affected 44.3% of the urban population according to the National Insititute of Statistics and Census of Argentina.

During 2008, 13 percent of argentina families lived under the poverty line in the principal urban cities of the country.

In 2009, 13 percent of the population is unemployed or underemployed and is constantly looking to enter the job market or find a better job to get themselves out of poverty. 

Humble house of an ex-student of Oportunidad Educativa

Around seven percent of the population lives off of one dollar a day. The children are especially vunerable to the effects of poverty. The class differences between provinces continue to be a problema. The primary education continues good and the levels of literacy are high but many of the students are still forced have to repeat years and drop out of high school. Around twenty percent of young argentine between the ages of fifteen and twenty four do not study or work, they do not look for work or help with household chores. According to sociologists they are completely inactive members of society.

In public school they give students breakfast, lunch and a snack. This picture was taken in the cafeteria of Ipem 18 school.

Studying or Working?... neither of the two things

In Argentina the drop out rate in school is one of the most problematic issues that the already criticized education system faces. For the past couple decades the adolescents who dropped out were choosing between working or studying. If they left school it was because they had to assume job responsibilities. Even though these jobs were sometimes risky, they implied clear social roles.   Today students are dropping out of school and it is not because they have to work to make money but because they have been socially excluded.  In the province of Buenos Aires, according to a member of department of social development, Daniel Arroyo, there are one million adolescents in vulnerable situation and at social risk because they have been socially marginalized. About 400,000 people between the ages of fourteen and twenty do not study or work. School desertion is just the first step towards a life of delinquency and social marginalization. It is even more alarming to know that global environment demands people who are have capacities, knowledge and abilities. This shows that those who do not have access to the knowledge of a second language, science, math, and computers will not be considered literate. 

Pictures of the neighbors located in the northern part of the city where the students of the program live.

Sources and other links

CENDA - Informe Laboral Nº14 – otoño 2008 De: http://www.iade.org.ar/modules/noticias/article.php?storyid=2454
Unicef - www.unicef.org
Instituto de Estadísticas y Censos de la República Argentina: www. indec.mecon.ar
Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (Cepal): http://www.eclac.org/
Diario La Nación: http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1065986