Early childhood education also gained ground, rising from 40 per cent in 1990 to 53 per cent in 1998. Once again, vast disparities persist between urban and rural areas, and between countries. Indigenous communities still tend to fare worse. These gains were to some degree the result of the involvement of parents and non-governmental organizations. The region has made laudable efforts to improve content, placing more emphasis on teaching values.
All countries have programmes on cultural diversity and gender equity.
Colombia and Guatemala teach human rights and peace. There are, nevertheless, many unfinished tasks. Adult literacy improved somewhat despite the fact that literacy training and adult education were low priorities. Although policy-making is increasingly informed by reliable statistics, this practice is all too rare. The same goes for maths.