Teacher Unionization and the Quality of Education in Peru: An Empirical Evaluation Using Survey Data

This paper analyzes the evolution and current profile of teacher unionization and estimate the impact of unionization on the quality of public education in Peru. The research uses data from a 1999 household survey (ENAHO) and from a recent evaluation of a public program oriented to improve the quality of Peruvian public education. Regarding the evolution of unionization, there is evidence compatible with the hypothesis that the rate of teacher unionization has dropped during the last three decades, but especially during the 1990s, due basically to the hiring of temporary teachers. For the impact of unionization on quality, the data indicate that unionization does not currently seem to be a major factor affecting the quality of educational services in the Peruvian public education system.