Determinants of the Human Development Index in Secondary Education and the mediation of ICT in Latin America

Evidence on how macroeconomic, social, educational, and technological factors shape the Human Development Index (HDI) of Latin American adolescents remains scattered. To compile it, a systematic review was conducted, registered with OSF and guided by PRISMA-2020, tracking the 2019-2024 production in six specialized databases and gray literature repositories. From 527 initial records, 44 studies were selected, of which 34 provided comparable data and passed the MMAT quality assessment. The analysis indicates that approximately three out of four studies associate increased GDP per capita with longer secondary school retention when economic gains are redistributed, while two out of five link domestic violence with declines of up to 18% in academic performance. More than half of the evidence indicates that improving school infrastructure and offering tutoring produces gains equivalent to half a year in mathematics and reading, and almost two-thirds show that home connectivity combined with the digital competence of teachers and students increases retention by up to 15%. These results suggest that the combination of redistributive investment, psychosocial support, decent classrooms, and ICT training is the most promising strategy for raising the HDI, although longitudinal trials and multisectoral partnerships to test its sustainability and cost-effectiveness are still needed