In the analysis we conducted on the 2022 Budget of the Province of Mendoza, we noticed a decrease in the province’s total budget in real terms (a smaller ‘pie’) and, at the same time, a decrease in the percentage allocated to education (a smaller ‘portion’). Additionally, when examining the distribution of resources by type of expenditure, we found that the government’s priorities are reflected, with an increase in the infrastructure budget at the expense of workers’ salaries.
To complement the data presented in that report and to contextualize this problematic situation of educational funding in Mendoza with what is happening in the rest of the provinces, we aimed to understand how much increase has been allocated to education in the 2022 budgets of the country’s subnational governments and how this is reflected in educational investment per student. For this purpose, we carried out a search and compilation of official websites where budgetary information is published in each province.
Educational investment per student
If we analyze educational investment per student in the provinces, we find a marked heterogeneity. The result comes from analyzing the voted 2021 and 2022 budgets in relation to student enrollment. When explaining these asymmetries, we can mention variables such as the economic development of different provinces or the inequities present in the fiscal resource distribution system, such as the case of co-participation. As we mentioned earlier, our country has a very centralized tax system with a highly decentralized public expenditure structure. Moreover, the economic policies implemented by provincial governments strongly affect social services.
For the years 2021 and 2022, we can observe that in 19 jurisdictions where we were able to collect their budgets, the Patagonian provinces allocate the highest resources per student. On the contrary, the provinces that invest the least in education are Misiones and Mendoza. Our province is far below the average with a difference of 56% and 64%, respectively. While in 2021 Mendoza allocated $82,894 per student, the average was $129,325. For 2022, the gap is wider, as our province will allocate $124,256, while the average will be $204,500.