The Asymmetry of Academic Information in the Spanish Education System - Meritocracy and Incentives

One of humanity's greatest triumphs has been the ability to access education, regardless of social class, nationality, race, sex, or other personal characteristics, in most parts of the world, whether through public or private institutions. This has brought incalculable benefits to generations of families, fostering equal opportunities and serving as a fundamental pillar for the advancement of meritocracy in various areas of our societies. However, in the Spanish context, meritocracy is beginning to decline and inequality is strengthening due to a public education system that, in many cases, fails to compete with the private sector, primarily because it fails to effectively address its biggest problem: information asymmetry among students. In this first essay on the topic, I will share two fundamental reasons that explain the persistence of this asymmetry, related to the local nature of meritocracy and the incentive system in the public sector.

First, this problem is relevant because the fact that some students have greater information, thanks to their environment and/or connections, allows them to capitalize on their competitors' misinformation, whether consciously or unconsciously. This contributes to the intensification of inequality in various competitive situations, both academic and professional. A main cause is that meritocracy is inherently "local," and there is no mechanism that makes it global without affecting other equally important aspects (for example, imposing arbitrary quotas could harm productivity or equality of opportunity, so it may not be the best solution).

The fact that meritocracy is "local" implies that decision-makers—whether the jury, the admissions team, or the human resources department—base their decisions solely on the results presented by candidates. In other words, the results obtained are valued (sometimes complemented by an interview or cover letter), but the context in which those results were obtained is rarely considered (which could be more informative for the company or university in assessing the student's capabilities and development), since verifying all this information would be an inefficient process for everyone involved. Therefore, students from a more supportive environment are more likely to plan and act in ways that maximize their results, to the detriment of those who lack this same orientation.

For example, it is common to hear a student who has "gone to the rescue"—someone who, through strategic actions, has managed to achieve certain specific goals—or someone who, thanks to a "stroke of luck," takes advantage of a job or academic opportunity, such as discovering the existence of a specialized master's degree or a little-publicized scholarship. These cases demonstrate that, by reducing information asymmetry, students acquire advantages that increase their chances of success. However, this phenomenon is rare, as the environment of the Spanish educational system means that very few of the "lucky ones" are able to take advantage of this information gap compared to their competitors.

Picture. Universidad Complutense de Madrid's Faculty of Political Science and Sociology

Second, the persistence of this asymmetry is largely due to the public sector's incentive system. The Spanish public education system repeatedly fails to close the information gap between students of diverse backgrounds and educational profiles, further highlighting the local nature of meritocracy and perpetuating generational inequalities. Few of us remember most of our teachers as true mentors or school staff as active collaborators in our development. Instead, anecdotes abound about how "we have made our own way" or about the ineffectiveness of some bureaucratic processes. For example, a student who does not receive guidance on how to apply for a master's degree, how to write a cover letter, or who is unaware of funding opportunities may find themselves at a disadvantage compared to another who has the support and information necessary to overcome these obstacles.

The problem is that teachers and staff in public schools are, by and large, civil servants with contracts that make it difficult to link students' present and future performance with their rewards. In other words, a teacher or administrative employee isn't paid to help a student find the most suitable grade, identify areas in which they might excel, or facilitate essential bureaucratic processes to achieve their goals. They are paid to teach classes and perform their daily duties, which significantly reduces the possibility of providing personalized, quality mentoring.

In contrast, in the private education sector, incentives are often better aligned with the goals of families and students. Teachers have more time and resources to monitor their students' academic development, while school staff strive to facilitate various processes to maintain the school's reputation and provide a service commensurate with the payment made by families (who demand this or can cause real problems for the institution if it is not met). For example, it is common for private schools to organize regular follow-up meetings or implement personalized tutoring systems that allow students to receive accurate information about academic and career opportunities. This translates into a substantial advantage: students leave with a deeper understanding of their development and the options available, allowing them to focus their efforts on what truly matters. This is very rare in public schools, although considering the budgets and organization of the schools, it could be perfectly possible.

As explained, the local nature of meritocracy and an inadequate incentive system in the public sector are two fundamental causes of information asymmetry in the Spanish education system. This phenomenon stands as one of the main obstacles to achieving true meritocracy and halting the perpetuation of generational inequality. Although education has historically been the driving force of social mobility, in practice, the lack of resources and the limited institutional interest in providing personalized guidance generate informational gaps that negatively impact the long term. It is imperative, from a social perspective, to implement measures that allow those who deserve it most, in a meritocratic sense, to achieve their academic and professional goals equitably.

Therefore, this is only the first essay in a series dedicated to raising awareness about information asymmetry as a serious educational and social problem, and exploring its many ramifications. In this space and through my social media channels, my work focuses on raising awareness and providing resources that contribute to reducing this asymmetry, with the best intentions and, I hope, with an execution that is equally valuable to the reader.