The rate of illiteracy among women in San Marcos reaches 59%.

 

The average number of years in school of a society, is indicative of educational success. In Guatemala, the education attainment is relatively low (4.6 years) compared to that achieved by the rest of Latin America which, on average, is seven years.

 

It is estimated that of the total population, 657,233, or 26% of boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 14 do not attend elementary school. Every year, 204,593 children drop out of school (12% enrollment rate).

 

What Guatemala lacks in education is found in the fact that Guatemala is one of the countries that invest the least in this important area. Spending on education, as represented by their Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, is approximately 2.4% compared to the 4.4% average of Latin America.

 

The population of indigenous, rural women are the most affected.

 

Educational exclusion is a phenomenon that affects a large percentage of the population, the main factors being ethnicity and rurality, while the main factor in educational inequality lies in gender. Thus affecting rural, indigenous women the most. This situation is reflected in the net rates of those in rural areas who attained a preprimary education: 20.9% for indigenous population and 34.7% for the non-indigenous, with the primary education rates lying at: 71.3% and 84% respectively.

 

The Hidden Child Labor of Girls

 

Guatemala is the country in all of Central America that has the highest number of children and adolescent workers. The latest statistics reveal that about 507,000 Guatemalan boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 14 years old work. Of this group of boys and girls, 12% work and go to school; 8% only work; 62% only study; and 18% reported to have neither. The latter group of children are at the highest risk for exploitation as it has not been reported what they are doing.

 

If child labor in Guatemala is analyzed, it appears to be a male phenomenon. For example, of the children between the ages of 7 and 14 who work, 66% are male, however, this does not account for the young women and girls who are doing hidden work, like house work in private homes, thus not appearing in child labor statistics. Furthermore, the work done by young women and girls is mostly done in rural areas, helping the family, which most of the time is unpaid. Another feature of this phenomenon lies in the rate of indigenous children working, 56%, compared to the rate of non-indigenous workers, 44%.