Leistungsauslese und sozioökonomisch bedingte Barrieren beim Übergang von der Sekundarschulbildung in die Hochschulbildung in Chile

This article focuses on a selection procedure, which regulates the transition from secondary education to higher education in Chile according to the principle of performance. The authors describe how the procedure functions and what consequences it entails. According to the principle, the effect of this procedure would be the selection of the most able school graduates irrespective of their socioeconomic backgrounds. However, in effect, the procedure encourages an inequality of opportunity. The interrelation of socio-economic conditions is to be found on two levels in the system. Firstly, there are considerable differences regarding the economic situation of families, regions and city districts. Secondly, the different institutions in the tertiary sector enjoy differing prestige, legal and financial status. The state is, indeed, aware of the distortion that underlies the performance principle and attempts to compensate for it through the provision of stipend programmes. However, conversely, the procedures for funding universities, which were either introduced or have, at least, been tolerated by the state, amplify and support the inequality of socio-economic conditions. (DIPF/Orig.