As Ecuador's President Rafael Correa wraps up his time in office, a new study chronicles the stunning increase in access to education under his administration.

The study from National Education University researchers Ricardo Restrepo and Efstathios Stefos found that access to education has increased by 30 percent at the high school level and 59 percent in higher education institutions in the country since 2006. 

"In the last school year, children received 3 million free books, almost 2 million breakfasts, 1.5 million uniforms.  When we talk about millions of students, we talk about billions of dollars invested, it's an incredible investment," said Stefos.

"The political will in investment is an element that allowed the transformation of education to develop in Ecuador between 2006 and 2016," said Restrepo. He says the results demonstrate how state policy to can make good on the "social debt" that government owes to society, and make the right to education a reality for all.

As for the quality of education offered, the study shows Ecuador committing to vast improvements when compared with its Latin American neighbors, the US, Finland, and Belgium.  "Ecuador rises 27 places in this ranking when the rest of countries fall," said Restrepo.  "This means that Ecuador is the country that is improving the most and is rapidly transforming."

The run-off election to pick Correa's replacement is next month, and the authors say the report shows what's at stake.  Of the two candidates, Vice President Lenin Moreno would continue to build on Correa's legacy; while conservative former banker Guillermo Lasso wants a voucher system to privatize education, which critics say will take funds from schools and create a tiered system in which the poor are left at the side of the road.