Peru - Education Peru - Education
Peru’s student population is large and growing. Between 2007 and 2017, net student enrollment in Peru rose from 71% to 83%, according to the latest available statistics released by the OECD and Peruvian Ministry of Education (MINEDU). As such, the demand for quality education technology and infrastructure is greater than ever before.
Though Peru has improved education accessibility, gaps in performance persist. Urban students continue to outperform their rural counterparts, and students at a high socioeconomic status score better than their peers of fewer economic resources. Three factors explain these gaps: the high cost of quality education, the concentration of schools in Lima, and the challenges posed by limited resources, including under-qualified teachers. In 2018, Peru had 142 universities, 31 of which are public, and the rest are private. Of the 142 universities, more than 50 are based in Lima. According to the Oxford Business Report, there are three times as many private schools in metropolitan Lima as public institutions (5,680 in 2018 compared to 1,795 in 2016). Adequate infrastructure remains to be a salient concern, even for private schools, many of which operate in facilities that are supposed to be housing. According to a Lima Regional Education Department report in 2017, this included 70% of private institutions. The Peruvian government is working to mitigate the educational infrastructure gap by pledging 4.4% of GDP toward investments in this sector. Peru’s private investment promotion agency ProInversión has also pledged 3% of its estimated USD 10 billion budget for its 2018-2020 project portfolio.
In January 2015, a new higher education authority, the National Superintendence of University Higher Education (SUNEDU), replaced the National Assembly of Rectors (ANR) under a new higher education law. SUNEDU has assumed a regulatory role over all universities, both public and private. In addition, SUNEDU is responsible for authorizing the establishment of new universities and is expected to stop the establishment of low-quality universities by supervising the quality of educational standards.
Both the government and the people of Peru prioritize workforce readiness in a globalized world. Peru has 8 million students between the ages of 5 - 16, and more than one million university students. Many of Peru’s students come from the middle class, seeking education that is affordable, practical, and proximate. In higher education, students seek English training and soft skills, and many study abroad through university programs and partnerships. Students also increasingly prefer vocational schools as Peru’s economic growth raised demand for qualified technicians. Furthermore, the government recognizes the need for vocational training and specialized skills in the labor market.
| 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | |
| Total number of Peruvian Students Studying in the U.S. | 3,256 | 3,200 | 3,235 |
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
| Total Number of U.S. Student Visas Issued to Peruvian Students | 1,750 | 1,925 | 1,729 |
1) IIE Open Doors 2018 Report
2) State Department 2018 Non-Immigrant Statistics – Student Visas issued to Peruvian Students
Leading Sub-Sectors
The private sector market for education in Peru presents several opportunities for U.S. firms. There are different school networks that provide innovative education and seek to cut the cost of higher education. Their goal is to expand geographical reach within Peru. These schools incorporate new methodologies and technologies aimed to develop research and exchange programs. Some examples of these types of schools is Futura Schools and Innova Schools. Their educational models of involve blended learning — a form of education that uses technology and guided independent study to encourage critical thinking. Innova currently operates 49 locations in 12 regions in Peru and plans to expand its student body from 40,000 to 100,000 by 2023. There is strong potential for profitability in this market that U.S. education providers can tap into.
Opportunities
With over 1 million university students and an ever-growing middle class that is eager to invest in education, the demand for affordable, high-quality education in Peru is surging. Many of Peru’s educational institutions are incorporating cutting-edge technology and methods into their curriculum. Education providers entering Peru must consider approaches that broaden geographic reach and reduce costs for students. For example, the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP) is expanding its offerings by creating new campuses in 10 of the largest metropolitan areas outside of Lima, as well as an international campus in Colombia.
Because Peruvian universities are expanding their geographic offerings, U.S. companies in the education field can offer partnerships through technological support as well as best practices in pedagogy methods and instructional design. Foreign universities have begun investing in the Peruvian educational market such as la Universidad de Tarapacá from Chile and the Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey from Mexico. Multinational equity firms such as Colombia-based Kandeo are also investing in the expansion of Peruvian higher education providers, in 2017 Kandeo provided USD 50 million to the expansion of the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola within both Peru and Paraguay.
The Tax for Public Works (Obras por Impuestos) and National Program for Education Infrastructure (PRONIED) initiatives facilitate private sector partnerships in the financing, implementation, and maintenance of education infrastructure projects. One such project is the installation of a fiber optic cable network, which will integrate 22 of Peru’s 25 regions by the year 2020. This upgraded technology in Peru’s public schools represents an opportunity to U.S. education software providers that can increasingly integrate teacher training modules, student resources, and English language study materials into an accessible cloud platform, especially since this project will provide internet to 10,000 schools.
Structural issues have historically limited Peruvians’ access to education. Yet changes in Peru’s educational options, labor market demands, and government policies indicate that the country is ready and willing to establish partnerships. As the Peruvian government implements these changes in public schools, opportunities emerge for advisory roles.
Web Resources
Peruvian Ministry of Education
Regional Education Center of Lima
Institute of International Education
Sociedad de Comercio Exterior del Perú (COMEXPERU)
Bartolomé Herrera 254, Miraflores
Lima-18, Perú
Tel (511) 625-7700
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