Santiago, Chile. Monday 27th November 2006.

Chile I am told has arguably the most educated population in South America. There are very strict education laws outsetting a national curriculum that is truly national and leading to a high proportion of university-educated professionals and a literacy rate above 95%.

Such education levels translate quite clearly into lifestyle, social aspirations and the palpable feeling of modernity one gets in Chile. Santiaguinos are rightly proud of their city.

Today I am at Inacap with Laurie Henderson. Inacap is a private non-profit educational institution with very strong links to the business world having started life as a technical college.

This is yet another inventive approach to education that I have witnessed first hand here in South America. To study at Inacap you do not need to have passed the PSU (the Chilean university entrance qualification akin to the SAT in the United States), however you do need to have completed your secondary education.

The courses offered are directed to the working world and as such there is a great deal of consultancy with the practicing business world to ensure that the skills/competencies taught are relevant to the needs of business.

In total there are 26 Inacap campuses, 19 of which are outside of Santiago and 1 of which is a virtual campus. These campuses run the length of the country and offer 2 year technical qualifications or 4 year professional qualifications.

Inacap also oversee the Chilean Technological University (UTC). This hands on approach to education offers over 130 courses from car mechanics to computer programming; from engineering to business consultancy and hotel and catering.

90% of the students are first time consumers of higher education being the children of maids, porters etc and most students come from the municipal and state system. As such fees are held as low as they possibly can be.

The philosophy is simple. There are many ways to climb a mountain, with a view that everyone is educable and the system simply needs to provide different routes to the same standardised goal.

With 54,000 students nationwide standards are high such that all students must complete 1 year of English, a basic mathematics, a computer skills course and a Spanish course. The point is simple. To be effective in any job you must be able to communicate.

I am really impressed by this approach to education that brings together the needs of the student and business leaders in providing the skills base necessary for economic development for the country and security of future for the employee.

This afternoon I am working in the Deputy Headmistresses office at Bradford School with the naughty boys. It just feels like home when one young chap appears at the door to ask "please sir can I go to the toilet".