Abstract

PENA, Pablo A.. Choques agregados e inversión en capital humano. El logro educativo superior durante la década perdida en México. El trimestre econ [online]. 2013, vol.80, n.317, pp.113-142. ISSN 2448-718X.

This article documents a negative aggregate response in the attainment of post-secondary education (more than 12 years of schooling) in Mexico to the recession of 1982-83 and the stagnation that followed. The response was not homogeneous across genders, regions or family backgrounds. Males experienced a drop in attainment and females experienced a slowdown in attainment growth. On average, states with greater pre-shock educational attainment experienced larger drops. There was no clear trend in the response by family background. However, a negative effect is found even between siblings. The evidence suggests a demand-side story: the drop in household income seems to be the main determinant of the fall/slowdown in attainment. The conclusion is that the recession and the lack of growth that ensued had a sizeable and lasting negative impact on skill formation in Mexico.

Keywords : década pérdida; choques agregados; logro escolar postsecundaria.