Inequality and Achievement in Higher Education

In Mexico, where poverty and inequality are characteristics, the equality is one of the most important problems speaking about results in higher education, even when has there been efforts in order to improving educational opportunities and equal access to school.

Scholarships and the compulsory education from kindergarten to upper secondary education have been actions in order to remedy inequality access to higher education schools.

However, personal effort, skills and abilities are considered like main factors as soon as the possibilities of access and retention in higher education compared with social and cultural background, because they are considered a more just form of selection by some people, in so far as they are as is based on examinations and tests that measure knowledge and personal skills. 

The idea of merit argues that the positions and social and economic rewards most are based on the qualities and individual qualifications, it’s means that people with higher skills and abilities should get social positions of greater importance and prestige. Nonetheless, a school culture grounded in meritocracy contains a lot of problems, as has indicated by François Dubet.

The current Mexican government, like its predecessors, seems to be interested in implementing actions to move forward in equal opportunities of access to higher education, but the issue about of results is still pending. This paper asks about questions like: if should we opt for the quality or equity? Could they be compatible?  Should we sacrifice quality for the sake of equity and the principle must apply the effort and merit although it reinforces inequality?