Another brick in the wall? The extension of compulsory education in the contemporary education debate

Abstract

The expansion of compulsory education has been promoted internationally as a strategy to improve access to and equity in education. However, its effects vary depending on the context and do not always meet initial expectations. This study conducts a systematic review of the existing literature with the aim of analyzing its main implications worldwide.
To this end, 83 documents were reviewed from the databases Dialnet, ERIC, APA-PsycInfo, and Scopus, selected for addressing the expansion of compulsory education as one of their main thematic focuses, rather than merely as the context of their research. The methodology combined a descriptive quantitative analysis and a qualitative categorization of the content into four dimensions: educational, socio-political, economic, and personal, ensuring data triangulation.
The results show that the expansion of compulsory education has mixed effects. At the educational level, expansion improves access and training, but inequalities in quality, coverage, and equity persist. At the social and political level, it does not guarantee effective inclusion or greater mobility. At the economic level, it can contribute to growth by increasing human capital, although doubts arise about its financial sustainability. At the personal level, educational benefits are identified for some students, while others experience school fatigue or demotivation.
It is concluded that the expansion of compulsory education alone does not ensure improvements in equity or quality. Its effectiveness depends on complementary policies thatguarantee resources, inclusive pedagogical strategies, and support for students. To be an effective tool for equity, it must focus on the quality of teaching and the diversity of student trajectories, avoiding being merely a formal extension of schooling.

Key words: Compulsory Education, Educational Legislation, Equal Education, Public Schools, School Policy, School Registration.