10 million children in Latin America at risk of failing to learn to read

A new regional study warns that 10.1 million children in Latin America between the ages of 6 and 8 are at risk of not learning to read and write properly. The report, Comprender el riesgo, actuar con urgencia, from the Instituto de Evidencia Educativa, introduces the Indicador de Riesgo para la Alfabetización Inicial (IRA), a preventive tool that combines school exclusion and learning deprivation. Source: excelsiormx

The risk by country

Among six analyzed countries, Argentina has the highest incidence at 59%, followed by Colombia at 51%, Mexico at 48%, Brazil at 47%, and Peru at 44%; Chile is lowest at 27%. In absolute numbers, Brazil and Mexico together account for about 6.4 million at-risk children, or 64% of the regional total. Source: elcolombiano, Source: excelsiormx

• Mexico: 3.1 million children face contexts that hinder reading development. Source: excelsiormx
• Colombia: 1.3 million children (51%) are at risk, the second-highest proportion. Source: elcolombiano

A preventive approach

The IRA aims to identify risks early, before learning gaps become permanent. As Miguel Székely notes, "low reading comprehension at the end of primary school is the late manifestation of problems that begin much earlier." Source: excelsiormx Romina Paola Durán, the study's author, emphasizes that "dimensioning this risk is fundamental to orient preventive actions and act in time." Source: elcolombiano

Experts agree that early interventions are more effective and equitable than later remediation. The report urges policymakers to focus on the critical 6-to-8 age window. Source: elcolombiano, Source: excelsiormx