About 700,000 children in Mexico dropped out of school last year as recession stricken families pushed kids to work, and a weak economic recovery will allow only a slight improvement in the drop out rate in 2010, a top education official said.
高级教育官说，墨西哥去年大约有700,000个孩子因为受经济不景气的影响而被家人逼去工作，微弱的经济复苏将对2010年的辍学率只带来轻微的好转。
Mexico's economy suffered more than any other in Latin America last year, shrinking an estimated 7 percent due to a plunge in U.S. demand for Mexican exports such as cars.
去年墨西哥的经济比任何其他拉丁美洲国家都糟，由于美国对墨西哥输出品如汽车的需求下降，估计经济萎缩达7％。
The decline led to a 4 percent increase in the number of kids who left primary or middle school in 2009, said Juan de Dios Castro, who heads the nation's adult education program and keeps a close watch on drop-out rates.
迪奥斯·卡斯特罗说：“这种下降导致中小学生的辍学率增加了4%。”他是国家成人教育项目的领导人，并密切关注辍学率的问题。
"Poverty rose and that is a factor that makes our job more difficult, " Castro told Reuters in an interview earlier this month.
卡斯特罗在这个月初接受路透社的采访时说：“贫困率的上升使这里的工作更难找。”
Hindered by higher taxes and weak demand for its exports, Mexico's economy is seen only partially recovering this year.
墨西哥的经济今年只是部分复苏，仍受高额税收和低出口需求量的阻挡。
As a result, drop-out rates will not improve much, Castro said. "There will be some improvement, but not significant, "Castro said.
卡斯特罗说：“结果辍学率没有得到改善，即使有一点变化，但也不显著。”
Mexico has historically had high drop-out rates as poor families pull kids out of school to help put food on the table, and children often sell candy and crafts in the streets or work in restaurants.
墨西哥历来有很高辍学率，贫困家庭迫使孩子外出工作贴补家用。这些孩子经常在街上卖糖果、手工艺品，或是在餐馆打工。
The nation's drop-out problem is just the latest bad news for the long-term competitiveness of the Mexican economy.
国家的辍学率问题是最近由于墨西哥经济的长期竞争力而产生的坏消息。
Mexico's politicians have resisted mending the country's tax, energy and labor laws for decades, leaving its economy behind countries such as Brazil and Chile.
墨西哥的政治家几十年来坚持修补国家税收、能源和劳动力法规，使得经济发展落后于巴西、智力这样的国家。