With the aim of improving parental access to the labour market, the Council of Europe is working towards all countries in the European Union achieving 33% of children enrolled in pre-school education.

On average, men earn more than women for the same jobs. However, although the crisis reduced average salaries for everyone, the related growth in unemployment affected men more than women.

The higher the level of education, the bigger the salary? Effectively, in 2015, the earnings of people with higher education qualifications were, on average, nearly 38% higher than those of people who had only completed intermediate education.

What does the level of studies attained tell us about the structure of a society? Our country has a very high proportion of university graduates, but also a large percentage of people who have completed only primary education.

How many students of immigrant origin are enrolled in the education system? During the 2014-2015 academic year in Spain, they represented 8.6% of total students, a low proportion in comparison with many other European countries

Sometimes it is difficult to translate the language of international bodies that we use on a daily basis. What are the equivalences between the ISCED educational levels used by the UNESCO and the system used in Spain?

Good parenting is fundamental for children’s development. How does parental dedication differ between social groups? Knowing the answer is essential if we want an equal society.

Can education reduce social inequality? These two books, which talk to us about the theory of multiple intelligences and the importance of passion and perseverance, propose educational options for working in this direction.

Where is education heading? In this section the Social Observatory of “la Caixa” presents a series of indicators are presented that are key to understanding the situation of education in our society. The majority have been built using data from international databases such as the European Social Survey (ESS) or the PISA Report, among others.

Jane Waldfogel is Chair Professor in Social Work at the University of Columbia. In this interview, the main author of the book Too Many Children Left Behind proposes solutions for tackling differences in performance between students.

These two works analyse, from the angles of psychology and sociology respectively, the increase in social opportunities for underprivileged children. The first proposes acting on the environment and the second, on individual capabilities. 

How should we care for our children? The discipline of Amy Chua, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, contrasts with the experimental extravagances of Dalton Conley and his Parentology. However, the two share a competitive vision of childhood that focuses on social approval.

Education, research and knowledge are fundamental pillars for predicting a country’s future development. The Dossier  tackles the role of education as a social elevator and the presence of students of immigrant origin in the classroom.

Pre-school education plays a fundamental role in improving reading comprehension capabilities in primary and secondary school, especially among immigrant students. This is shown by the results in the three countries analysed: Spain, Norway and Sweden. 

The admission of immigrant students in the classroom has represented a significant change for the Spanish education system. Are there differences in the results of immigrant and non-immigrant students? Why?

How can equal opportunities be guaranteed for children and young people at risk of social exclusion? We analyze the current results and future challenges posed by comprehensive education inside and outside of the school.