The students went through evaluations in which they had to solve problems and see if they could apply their knowledge in every situations. Urgent actions are required to complement and to strengthen the knowledge of the youth who will get into the labour market

Latin American countries are at the bottom in the 2012 Pisa report about education knowledge in 65 countries, according to information made public a few days ago by the OECD.

The Programme for International student Assessment (PISA) analyzes the performance of 15 year-old students in subjects such as maths, mother tongue and science. These exams were taken by students from 65 countries, which represent 80% of the world population.

The report is specially focused on maths, since it is a subject which predicts the future success of the students when they finish the secondary school.

Among the Latin American countries, Chile is the best situated, 51 with 423 points in maths, below the average fixed by PISA with 494 points, while in reading it has 441 points and in science 445.

Chile is followed by Mexico, positioned 53, with 413 points in maths, 424 in reading and 415 in science, which represent a great advance in the last decade; however, it still does not reach the average punctuation fixed by OECD.

According to the OECD Cabinet Director, Gabriela Ramos, “Mexico has a difference of 80 points with the average of OECD, which means that Mexican students have the equivalent of 2 years less than the rest”

Uruguay is situated 55, with 409 points in maths, 411 in reading, 416 in science. It has been going backwards in those three subjects for the last 10 years, according to the report.

Uruguay is followed by Costa Rica, which has not managed to improve either, going down more than one point a year and which is currently selected 56 in the list with a total punctuation of 407 inmaths, 441 in reading and 419 in science.

The report shows that Brazilian students have improved their level in reading since 2000, with an average of 1.2 point a year, even though they are still below the average punctuation of the OECD.

Argentina is 59 in the list, after Brazil, with a punctuation of 382 in maths, 396 in reading and 406 in science. Even though it is one of the last in the list, Argentina has improved in more than a point in maths and science for the last 10 years, but it has gone backwards (1.6 points a year) in reading.

The two last countries are Colombia and Peru, positioned 62 and 65 respectively.

Although Colombia has slightly improved, it got 376 points in maths, 403 in reading and 399 in science, while Peru has obtained 368 in maths, 384 in reading and 373 in science.

According to PISA, Peru has really improved in reading (5.2 annual points)

When presenting the report, Andreas Schleicher, special Assessor of the General Secretary of OECD Angel Gurría, said that PISA helps to measure what the students know and what they can do with their knowledge, however he admitted that international comparisons are not always esy and that they are not perfect.

Schleicher remarked that the report helps the countries to know how other countries have improved and to prepare children to face a successful future.

According to the report, the countries best positioned, focus on the selection of teachers, they motivate them to work together and do not pay much attention to the number of students per class, buy they facilitate the teachers ´autonomy.

In the region we say that the issue of employability is not only the ability to obtain or keep a job but it also involves a concept of vital importance to maintain the social order and the economic growth since it relates Education, Unemployment and Social Equality.

There is no doubt that the challenge to neutralize the inequality of opportunities which exists in the vulnerable groups to be employable must no exclude any social actors committed with the training for employment and the creation of decent work.

The varied ways of employment which guarantee the workers ´rights and initiatives public-private articulations which tend to complement and strengthen the contents of formal education to approach them to demand, must be fostered by the governments of the region.