Mexico 'Ninis' Make Country Third In World For Jobless And Undereducated Youth, Reports OECD

A report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said Mexico has the third highest percentage of what Mexicans know as "ninis" -- young people who neither study or work -- out of the 34 countries included in the OECD group, below only Turkey and Israel. The report "Education at a Glance 2013" revealed that 24.7 percent of those aged 15 to 29 in 2011 could be considered a "nini" (a slang term which comes from the phrase "ni estudian ni trabajan" describing those who "neither study nor work"). The organization found that Mexico's persistently high rate pointed to "a structural failure".

RELATED: Diego Luna Directs New Short On Chicharito

According to Animal Politico, Gabriela Ramos, chief of staff for the OECD, called the phenomenon an "individual tragedy" in a video conference from Paris, adding, "These kids are being lost because no one's investing in them. They're not being prepared to work and they're not being attended to in school either, so it's a very high-risk group."

RELATED: Tropical Storm Barry Leaves 1 Dead In Veracruz

Unlike other countries in the group, Mexico's rate of "ninis" has remained around a quarter of the population of its young. In 2000, it was at 24.6 percent, in 2005 24.9 percent, and in 2011 24.7 percent. Not all of the news in the report is bad: the amount of children between four and 14 years old who are attending school has risen nearly 100 percent, while young people between 25 and 34 years old have higher levels of education than previous generations. But Mexico was also found to spend the least amount of money per pupil out of all of the OECD countries, as most of the resources allotted for education went to teachers' salaries: up to 83.1 percent, according to the organization (the teachers' union has been vehement in its opposition to Mexico President Enrique Peña Nieto's attempts at reform). And only 36 percent of the population had received a secondary education, compared to the median of 75 percent among OECD countries. Women occupy a significant portion of the "ninis", with 37.8 percent of girls between 15 and 29 years neither working nor studying.

RELATED: Rick Perry Vetoes Mexican-American Studies Appropriations In New Bill

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development originated as the Marshall Plan after WWII, when the United States administered large sums in financial aid for Europe's reconstruction. It was reformed in 1961 and has grown to include non-European countries, though the majority are among the world's wealthiest.