Argentina's National Education Law No. 26,206 establishes that education must provide equal opportunities for all children and adolescents across the country. Its main goals include ensuring that students can access, remain in, and complete their education; strengthening educational inclusion; and promoting learning grounded in human rights, democracy, and civic participation.The law also establishes the government's responsibility to provide schools, teachers, infrastructure, and adequate learning conditions at all compulsory levels of Argentina's education system.You can read the full text of the law by clicking here. You can also find a simplified summary of the law on Ley Simple, a resource provided by Argentina's Ministry of Justice.

Compulsory education aims to ensure every child's right to education, regardless of their family's economic circumstances or where they live. In Argentina, National Education Law No. 26,206 establishes that schooling is mandatory from age four through the completion of secondary school.This means the government must provide the necessary conditions for all students to attend school, stay enrolled, and complete their education.According to UNESCO, compulsory education is an essential tool for reducing social inequalities and expanding opportunities for personal development.

Education is a right, meaning that everyone should have access to free, inclusive, and quality education without discrimination. It also means that the government has a responsibility to guarantee this access and implement public policies that reduce educational inequalities.The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is incorporated into Argentina's Constitution, recognizes every child's right to education and to fully develop their abilities and potential.

In recent years, national and international reports have highlighted significant educational inequalities linked to poverty, inadequate school infrastructure, and learning challenges.In many underserved communities, schools face overcrowded classrooms, limited enrollment availability, and insufficient resources to ensure students can stay in school and progress through their education.Argentina's national learning assessments, known as Pruebas Aprender, along with other educational studies, have also highlighted challenges in reading comprehension and unequal access to educational resources across socioeconomic groups.You can access the official reports published by Argentina's Secretariat of Education here.

An education crisis occurs when the right to education cannot be fully guaranteed due to social, economic, or structural challenges. These include a lack of schools, students dropping out, literacy challenges, inadequate infrastructure, and unequal access to educational opportunities.In underserved communities like Cuartel V, Moreno, Argentina, many families face these challenges every day. At El Arca, we support children and teens throughout their educational journeys, promote literacy, and create opportunities for them to participate and have their voices heard.International organizations such as UNICEF have also raised concerns about the impact of poverty and inequality on the education of millions of children and adolescents:Household economic conditions directly affect children's educational experiences. Despite progress in access to education, challenges related to school attendance, retention, and learning persist, reflecting significant socioeconomic inequalities. (UNICEF, 2025, p. 19)Read the full report on the situation of children and adolescents in Argentina.