Despite a substantial budget of over $5.7 trillion between 2019 and 2023, Medellín’s education system is facing a crisis. The city’s schools suffer from infrastructure issues, high dropout rates, and students underperforming in mathematics and reading. According to a report by Medellín Cómo Vamos, only one in ten students transition to higher education.
Of every 100 children enrolled in transition grade, only 9 ultimately attend university, leaving 91% without higher education opportunities. Furthermore, the city ranked second-to-last among major Colombian cities in the 2022 Saber 11 tests, with low scores in mathematics and reading. The report also highlights the widening gap between public and private schools’ performance.