Chile, famously known for the Andes Mountain range, continues to struggle with socioeconomic differences, with wealth inequality remaining a large issue. Nearly 10% of the population lives below the national poverty line, while the top 10% holds about 80% of the country’s wealth1. These disparities are shown easily in education: students from lower-income families are 2.5 times less likely to complete secondary education compared to their wealthier peers2. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the gaps in education as remote learning was not an option for many poor families – during the pandemic only 27 % of students in the poorest households had access to online education, compared with 89 % in the richest – leaving over 1 million children without access to the necessary technology for an education3. As Chile focuses on providing better access to quality education, the need for this is currently more critical than ever before.
In the Valparaíso region, many children still face barriers to getting a quality education. Over 20% of students in the area attend schools that lack proper infrastructure, with overcrowded classrooms and not enough materials or support. In low-income neighborhoods, these problems are even worse, where schools don’t have enough space for all the children, and teachers are often overwhelmed4. This makes it hard for students to keep up, leading to higher dropout rates and lower academic performance. In the Valparaíso region, more than 4,000 students abandoned the school system during the 2021‑2022 period, a number that is similar today5. Without better resources and support, many children in Chile are falling behind and missing out on future opportunities.
This summer, HXP Builders will help these issues by reconstructing two classrooms specifically designed for children in a disadvantaged area the Valparaíso Region. These classrooms will be for a preschool that was damaged by fires and will help to give a more accessible and supportive learning environment, allowing more students to attend school who previously could not. By creating these classrooms, HXP Builders will be providing more children with an opportunity to start their school experience on the right foot and break the cycle of poverty regardless of ability or background.
Sources:
2 COHA
3 Revista
4 UNESCO