Student perceptions of secondary school in latin america. relations, belonging, and valuation of school knowledge in late modernity

Abstract

This paper examines the perceptions that Latin American secondary-level students have of their schools. These perceptions are compared across various countries in the region and between different social strata. Based on these comparisons, the paper tests the theses that have most frequently guided research in this field. The core of these theses is that, as a result of the cultural and technological changes introduced by late modernity, there is a devaluation of secondary education among high school students, which deepens among the poorest social strata. Based on data from the 2012 PISA tests, the study demonstrates that the majority of Latin American students have a positive view of the school, although with some nuances. These suggest that the school experience of secondary students is complex and presents certain ambiguities and ambivalences. However, these do not imply the preeminence of negative views of secondary education among Latin American students.