Synaptic

This assignment required students to research and discuss the relationship between pairs of variables; one such pair was education and poverty. Beyond that, students could determine the particular direction of their own essay (e.g., poverty and education in Iowa, in the US, in impoverished countries). As Grace was conducting her research, she commented to me that she had firsthand knowledge of this relationship, as she saw it during her study abroad experience in Spain; this was the direction in which she wanted to take her essay. I appreciate this essay not only because Grace was able to draw a systemic link between poverty and education in a novel way, but also because this work represents in many ways the reasons Central College values the study abroad experience: students are in a position to draw a deep connection between their own classes and their study abroad experiences.

-Brian Peterson

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“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” (“Nelson Mandela”, 1). Nelson Mandela conveys the fundamental societal need for a strong education: knowledge is the springboard for global change, advancement, and innovation, and has the ability to move the world forward. An individual’s level of education aligns directly with his/her poverty level. Within the country of Spain, this relationship exemplifies the importance of a solid education amidst its significant unemployed population of university-aged individuals fighting for educational credibility. Spain’s current education system has led to economic distress, greatly influencing the overall level of happiness and social equality within the country.

Historically, Spain has positioned itself as one of the game-changers within the European Union. Officially introducing ‘key competences’ into the vocabulary of the public education system in 2005, Spain was able to construct educational programs that would benchmark a student’s progress and allow for a more standardized education (Tiana, 310). According to Tiana, a student’s core curriculum, or ‘enseñanzas mínimas’, is currently regulated by two levels of authority: the central government, and separately, within each of the 17 Autonomous Communities (312). However, while fabricating a cookie-cutter education ensures a minimum level of knowledge for Spaniards across-the-board, quantity for the sake of quality has become a dangerous, countrywide struggle. The Organization for Economic Cooperation (OECD) ranks Spain at the very bottom of its education index, claiming that a Japanese high school-aged student has the same skillset as a graduate from a Spanish university (Walker, 1). This has decreased the amount of mobility and educational legitimacy of educated Spaniards.

This struggle for a highly credible while accessible education has lead Spain into economic poverty and turmoil. The OECD connects Spain’s outrageous level of unemployment, currently 23.7%, to its caliber of education, concluding that its skills complement the corresponding data (Walker, 1). With 86% of 25-year-olds currently living in their parent’s home today and one-fourth of all 25-year-olds unemployed, the payoff for an individual’s education is difficult to determine (Lacuesta, 14). While the population holding a university degree is among the largest (about 75% of the OECD average) and Spanish educational reform from the past two decades is still gradually developing, unemployment among women and young adults remains 10 to 20 points above average (Alba-Ramirez, 4). Spain’s educational disparities parallel its current worrisome statistics regarding employment.

Additionally, the gap between supply and demand has deeply affected Spain’s economy. While the unemployment rate continues to soar, the population of educated individuals rises as well. However, over-education, which can arise as a result of an increase in the population’s average level of education and a consequent change in the composition of labor supply, has hindered the economic development of the country (Alba-Ramirez, 3). The high level of lawyers and lack of engineers completing a university degree demonstrates the disproportionate level of supply and demand countrywide (Walker, 1). Educated Spaniards are left with limited options. Individuals can choose to remain unemployed and seek government assistance, which defers the reality of their economic state. However, educated Spaniards can also begin working for a low paying job in which they are overqualified (Alba-Ramirez, 11). Lastly, Spaniards have the option to leave Spain to seek education and employment. In fact, the housing bubble crash in 2008 commenced the ‘brain drain’, which has led to thousands of young, eager minds to flee Spain for another country, most popularly Germany, the United States, and Great Britain (Kassam, 1). In 2013, two thousand doctors left the country, and nearly one in ten engineers decided to flee (Kassam, 1). The country’s ongoing fiscal crisis has left Mariano Rajoy, the head of Spain’s conservative government, positioned to cut welfare expenditures at an increasing rate during a time when they are needed most (Navarro, 1). As a result of Spain’s slowly developing job market and education system, students are unable to keep up with the continuously advancing world. The people of Spain are now faced with the challenge of moving the country forward, providing a competitive education in progressing fields, and establishing a highly skilled job market in order to escape its current poverty-stricken state.

An individual’s education is attributed to his or her economic situation, which can help determine his or her societal equality and level of happiness. First, education is the major channel though which social inequality is reproduced from one generation to the next (Ballarino, 2). Socioeconomic status and education level variables have direct varying effects on one another. An individual from a high socioeconomic background may be exposed to a higher quality of privatized education, whereas an individual from a lower socioeconomic status may have fewer educational opportunities. Conversely, labor markets are shown to favor high achieving students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, demonstrating their tenacity to succeed despite their social status (Ballarino, 4). In general, an individual’s original socioeconomic status can help determine a student’s level of success or failure within the economic realm, and Spain is no different. In Spain, studies have concluded that social class of origin has a significant effect on labor market performance (Ballarino, 14).

Finally, an individual’s degree of happiness is closely linked to his or her education and poverty level. Individuals with more education generally have higher income levels and a higher probability of being employed, and thus report higher levels of happiness (Cuñado, 185). Education results in a feeling of self-confidence and self-achievement, positively affecting an individual more than other variables, such as marital status, number of children, or the individual’s general health (Cuñado, 192). A Spaniard’s individual happiness level can be determined by a host of factors, but education and income level are among the most significant determinants.

A direct connection between education level and poverty level exists within Spain. While the country is full of educated young people willing and able to work, a gap between supply and demand exists within the market. The skillset of a Spanish student does not match today’s global demands, which has led to overqualified individuals remaining in Spain to work low paying jobs. Spain’s inability to keep up with its fast-paced macro-environment has left a hole in its job market, leading to severe levels of unemployment and demand. This economic distress can attribute to a Spaniard’s socioeconomic status and overall happiness, which are two direct effects of high poverty rates. Spain will be required to compete within the global marketplace and increase educational credibility, which will in return establish a positive level of societal equality and overall happiness.

Works Cited

Alba-Ramirez, Alfonso, and Maite Blázquez. “Types of Job Match, Overeducation and Labor Mobility in Spain.” Universidad Carlos III (2011): 1-15. ERIC. Web. 14 Nov. 2014.

Ballarino, Gabriele. “Social Inequality, Education Expansion and Return to Credentials: A Comparison between Italy and Spain.” University of Milan (2013): 1-15. Google Scholar. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

Cuñado, Juncal, and Fernando Pérez De Gracia. “Does Education Affect Happiness? Evidence for Spain.” Springer Science and Business Media (2011): 186-97. ERIC. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.

Kassam, Ashifa. “Spain Experiencing Brain Drain as Weak Economy Lingers.” USA Today. Gannett, 26 Oct. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/10/26/spain-brain-drain/3015575/>.

Lacuesta, Aitor, Sergio Puente, and Ernesto Villanueva. “The Schooling Response to a Sustained Increase in Low-Skill Wages: Evidence from Spain 1989-2009.” (2012): 1-26. ERIC. Web. 14 Nov.

Navarro, Vicente. “Spain Is Experiencing a Period of Intense Social Crisis.”LSE European Politics and Policy (2012): 1-4. Google Scholar. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

“Nelson Mandela.” BrainyQuote.com. Xplore Inc, 2014. 19 November 2014. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/nelsonmand157855.html

Tiana, Alejandro, José Moya, and Florencio Luengo. “Implementing Key Competences in Basic Education: Reflections on Curriculum Design and Development in Spain.” European Journal of Education 46.3 (2011): 308-23. ERIC. Web. 13 Nov. 2014.

Walker, Peter, and Lizzy Davis. “Graduates in Italy and Spain Have Low Basic Skills, Says OECD Report.” The Guardian. N.p., 9 Sept. 2014. Web. 13 Nov. 2014 <http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/sep/09/italy-spain-graduates-skills-oecd-report-education>.