Education in Mexico

Abstract

The study of Mexico’s educational system requires a systematic historical approach that considers the complex sociocultural and political fabric of the nation. Education in Mexico is closely tied to postcolonial identity building and has gone through different historical shifts. A broad understanding of education in Mexico must include foundational works that relay the challenges and perspectives during the early efforts of public education in Mexico, the changes seen through key shifts such as the decentralization reform of 1992 and the continued tensions between the teacher’s union and the state. The body of literature featured here showcases the work of key scholars in the field and serves as an entry point into the different categories that support a broad understanding of the educational context in Mexico: its history, its challenges, its articulation to the global context, and, most particularly, its close ties to the political ecosystem, since political discourse has deeply shaped legislation and educational policies in many of Mexico’s states. A wide range of topics are covered within the following diverse studies about education in Mexico; publications in Spanish and English include topics such as the history of education, intercultural and rural education, migration, educational policy, teacher unions and politics, new technologies, human rights, peace and democratic participation, higher education, and comparative and international education. Various perspectives discuss educational development, including education for social and economic development, together with issues of socioeconomic disparities and equity in the education system. Studies based on international development and comparative perspectives tend to highlight the main problems Mexican education faces in the development of competitive skills, human and social capital, and economic participation in a democratic national society as well as the competitiveness of the country within the global economy. Several of these studies problematize access and quality of education among the youth and women of marginalized groups and discuss implications often based on new programs or initiatives for professional training and investment for the implementation of new technologies. Publications that take critical and postcolonial perspectives focus on educational issues concerning Indigenous and rural populations that point at the educational challenges beyond the quality of delivery. These publications offer a critique of political and class structures that have created and reproduced inequality in the national society. Some of these critiques also point to the important role of education and educational actors, such as teachers, in changing policy and transforming the status quo.