Study confirms ‘marked drop’ of Puerto Rico’s youth population over past 20 years – News is My Business

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Ity identifies natural disasters as “triggers” for learning difficulties, apathy toward education and likelihood of dropping out of school.

Puerto Rico’s youth population — those between 15 and 29 years old — has dropped by 261,935 between 1990 and 2022, a decline of 29.61%, attributed to several factors, including feelings of hopelessness due to the island’s multiple crises.

This is one of several significant findings from the bibliographic study “Youth in Puerto Rico,” a global research project conducted by the SM Foundation and its Youth Observatory in Ibero-America, in partnership with the Observatory of Society, Governance and Public Policies of the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico (PUCPR).

Following hurricanes, earthquakes and the pandemic, the sustained reduction of young people leaving the island has remained between 2% and 3% each year, the study showed.

Compounding these crises is a widespread “feeling of hopelessness,” which has spurred that segment of the population to drop out of school and adopt a sense of apathy toward electoral process and political parties, the study further revealed.

“This study presents the results of a thorough investigation of scientific documents from publications ranging from 2019 to 2023 that we conducted at the request of and in collaboration with the Fundación SM and its Youth Observatory in Ibero-America,” said Hernán Vera, director of the PUCPR Observatory.

“This in-depth look allows us to analyze issues of physical and psychological health, interpersonal relationships, education, work and the value framework of our youth. This information confirms what is said and seen on the island: a decrease in the youth population, which has been reduced by more than a quarter of a million inhabitants over the past 20 years,” he said.

The study draws on 53 references, including 35 scientific journals and 14 reports, utilizing data from sources such the U.S. Census Bureau, the Puerto Rico Department of Education, the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It also includes data from Flash Surveys carried out by Fundación SM in January, with input from about 400 young people on the island.

Regarding factors such as natural disasters and the pandemic, the study revealed that public school system students had an increased likelihood of dropping out. The study reaffirmed that after Hurricane María, students exhibited “learning difficulties, apathy toward education, developmental regression, anxiety and lack of hope.”

According to Judy García-Allende of Fundación SM, the January Flash Surveys revealed that 73% of students are calling for an education more focused on the development of practical skills applicable to the working world.

“Among the reasons for studying, it’s encouraging that young people prioritize studying to dedicate themselves to what they like, improve their employability and have well-paid jobs,” García-Allende said.

On the professional front, the study noted that, in 2019, 82,000 young people, or 8.3% of the island’s workforce, were employed. Of that group, 24.7% were men and 19.3% were women.

The youngest of the sample displayed a greater intention to leave their jobs, citing reasons such as low salaries, caring for a child, transportation challenges, problems in relationships with employers or colleagues, and inadequate working conditions.

The study also found a trend of young people abstaining from electoral events, believing that political parties and elections “are not suitable vehicles for channeling their needs, desires and aspirations.”

However, the Flash Surveys revealed that 71% of young Puerto Ricans over 21 placed greater importance on voting, viewing it as one of the elements to becoming a “good citizen.”

Business reporter with 30 years of experience writing for weekly and daily newspapers, as well as trade publications in Puerto Rico. My list of former employers includes Caribbean Business, The San Juan Star, and the Puerto Rico Daily Sun, among others. My areas of expertise include telecommunications, technology, retail, agriculture, tourism, banking and most other segments of Puerto Rico’s economy.

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