Educational Inequality in Nuevo Leon and Oaxaca, Mexico, 2008 and 2010: The Basis of an Uncertain Future for These Societies

Abstract

Education in society especially in Mexico, seems to be a powerful instrument of intergenerational social mobility to produce individuals with "capabilities and functions"[1] allowing them to obtain a greater well-being. "Education as schooling", in the first instance, improves the individuals living conditions, since this is a path to a better way of living and a privileged way to achieve a higher economic and social position within a society" [2]. However, education's purpose is not only to be thought as schooling for economic well-being, but also as an element of cultural integration and general well-being within a society. Based on that, we have studied the educational inequality in two states in Mexico during the years 2008 and 2010. To this end, we have incorporated into a model of multi-dimensional logistic regression, and index of educational inequality. This index, consist of three focal variables: educational backwardness, access to technologies of information and communication, and family education spending. These variables allowed us to quantify more accurately this form of inequality. The observed results are worrisome, even more because; this derives other inequalities for the families of these societies, including reducing opportunities for better employment, and thus provoking lower standards in health, housing, nourishment, and social participation among others. Educational inequality is, therefore, another factor that originates poverty in the society.