Both Argentina and Uruguay have always placed a heavy emphasis on providing free education for their citizens and the result has been the highest literacy and education rates in Latin America. Uruguay has a literacy rate of over 97%. All of their students 15 years and younger now are required to take at least 3 years of English and 2 years of computer education. It has been the general policy of both countries to provide free university education. The result has been the creation of the highest educated citizenship anywhere in Latin America. In conjunction with the recent economic slowdown, very competent professionals- many of which are fluent in English- can be hired at salaries well below pay scales anywhere in the world.