The development of secondary education in Latin America has been more heterogeneous than in many other parts of the world. As late as the period between the two world wars, secondary education was largely concerned with preparing the national elites to take over privileged positions. Following World War II more attention was given to extending opportunities to enroll in secondary education. The tendency has been to attempt diversification of secondary education while remaining basically unchanged in terms of core curriculum, teaching force, facilities, and students' sociocultural background. With the sole exception of Cuba, and to some extent Nicaragua, no other Latin American countries have attained a diversification of their entire middle-level educational systems. Although compulsory vocationalized components have been introduced into the core curriculum of secondary education in several countries, most countries in the region continue to have parallel vocationalized systems with a predominant academic or general secondary education. Prevocationalization is more often understood by children as a hobby than as an initiation to technology and the world of work. Only about one-fourth of children will reach the upper level of secondary education, and these will continue to see themselves as a privileged group headed to the university. The importance ascribed to and development of vocational-technical education in the individual countries comprising Latin America must be viewed against existing social, economic, and political structures within the individual countries. (Nineteen tables and a nine-page bibliography are included.) (MN)