The Children’s Ombudsman revealed a worrying increase of 70.6% in expulsions and cancellations of enrollment in educational establishments during the period between the first semesters of 2022 and 2023.
According to the report “Total student expulsion and registration cancellation files during 2022 and 2023”, based on data provided by the Superintendency of Education, cases increased from 276 to 471 in just one year.
One of the most alarming figures corresponds to the Arica and Parinacota region, which led in the number of expulsions and cancellations of enrollment in 2023, with a rate of 0.73 cases per 1,000 students. In addition, communes with high averages of cases per establishment were identified, highlighting Copiapó, Alto Hospicio, Santiago, Antofagasta and Arica.
The report also revealed that, although the majority of cases are concentrated in secondary education, 35% of the total files correspond to basic education students, from first to second grade.
Among the most recurrent causes of these disciplinary measures are “assaults on other students” with 33%, followed by “repeated violation of rules” with 20%, “associated with the use of weapons” with 13% and “ drug-related events” with 8%.
The Rights Observatory of the Ombudsman for Children highlighted that not only expulsions have increased, but also complaints filed by students and families before the Superintendency of Education, with an increase of 184% between 2022 and 2023.
The defender of Children, Anuar Quesille, expressed his concern regarding the absence of records of expulsions in private paid establishments, pointing out that this makes invisible an important reality that must be monitored. In addition, he called on the competent authorities to review procedures, including those regulated by the Safe Classroom Law, and consider the protection of the rights of all actors involved, as well as educational trajectories and the risks of school exclusion.
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