While Honduras made significant progress in expanding access to primary education, enrollment declined from 2018 to 2022 and is lagging in other levels of education.
Existing low enrollment was compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic and tropical storms, which have destroyed education infrastructure and affected education service delivery.
On average, students complete 8 out of the 13 years of compulsory schooling.
Low learning is a barrier to children progressing through and completing school: around half of grade 3 students lack basic reading and math skills (ERCE). Other barriers include poverty, child labor, migration, violence and insecurity, and teen pregnancy.
Honduras’ Strategic Plan for the Overhauling of the National Education System (PRESENA) 2024-2033 states that structural challenges perpetuate and widen existing social inequalities, especially between urban and rural populations.
In line with the PRESENA, Honduras’ Partnership Compact identifies accelerating educational transformation with an emphasis on reducing inequalities and addressing vulnerable populations as a priority.
The government led dialogue with education sector stakeholders to align resources behind the national priority and reforms that aim to deliver impact at scale.
A focus on improving governance aims to strengthen administrative capacities, modernize information systems, and improve risk management.
Efforts to improve education access and quality include reducing rural and urban disparities, improving student retention and progression, and strengthening learning.