A recent study on living conditions and well-being in Panama reveals that 36% of young people aged 18 to 29 are neither studying nor working. According to Sonia de Heckadon, director of the Social Power Plant Foundation, this figure is an alert about the importance of developing targeted public policies for the youth. The study also highlights the country's social and economic progress, particularly the sustained reduction in income poverty, which fell from 42% in 1991 to 21.7% in 2023. In the field of education, Heckadon emphasizes the importance of helping young people complete post-secondary education, as many only reach the secondary level. The study shows an education coverage of 78% for the population aged 4 to 24, with greater female participation (80%), indicating that women have become the majority in scientific, technical, and professional careers, reflecting significant progress in human capital, though gaps in leadership positions persist. 'We need the country to transition to having the population complete secondary education and for young people to enter higher education programs, such as those at the Technical and Intermediate Education Institute (ITSE),' Heckadon stated. She also pointed out that gaps are cumulative, meaning that a lack of education will affect other aspects of a person's future life. 'If I don't have an education, I don't have a job, a good life, I won't have a pension, and I will have a difficult old age,' she specified. On the other hand, the study highlights that true well-being depends on access to essential assets such as decent housing, continuous basic services, food security, education, formal employment, health, social protection, support networks, and civic participation.
36% of young Panamanians are neither studying nor working
A study in Panama shows that 36% of youth aged 18-29 are neither studying nor working, despite a general reduction in poverty. Experts stress the importance of developing educational programs to address this issue.
