Mexican Education


Figure 1.--Thes boys in a Mexican private schools participate in a "desfile" (parade). HBC had thought this was a gym uniform, but our Mexican reader tells us that this is their regular school uniform.

Assessments of Mexican public schools are generally negative. The World Economic Forum according to a 2004 report ranked becicoonly 74 out of 102 other countries in the quality of education. That rank was just below Cameroon. Mexicans generally agree that public schools are not very good, but disagree as to just why. Some say it is inadequate financing and poor facilities. Others point to the country's powerful teaching union--the National Educaton Teacher's Union. Mexico has a highly centralized educational system. State government plays little role in Mexican education. Nor does local government and parents play an important role. HBC has only limited information on Mexican school uniforms. Not all schools require uniforms. Many state elementary schools do not require uniforms, but secondary schools do require them. The general fashion is white shirts, ties, sweaters, and grey long pants. Short pants are not commonly required, except for gym uniforms. Kneesocks ("calceta escolar") are not common for boys, but as in the image on this page, they are worn at some schools. Knee socks are much more common for girls, perhaps because mist Mexican boys wear long pants to school. Knee socks are very common at girls' schools which is perhaps why they are commonly called school socks.

Quality

Assessments of Mexican public schools are generally negative very positive. The World Economic Forum according to a 2004 report ranked Mecico only 74 out of 102 other countries in the quality of education. That rank was just below Cameroon. Mexicans generally agree that public schools are not very good, but disagree as to just why. Some say it is inadequate financing and poor facilities. Others point to the country's powerful teaching union--the National Educaton Teacher's Union.

System

Mexico has a highly centralized educational system. State government plays little role in Mexican education. Nor does local government and parents play an important role.

Teachers

The powerful Teacher's Union plays a major role in Mexican education. This status develop during the one-party rule of the Partido Revolucinario Institucional (PRI). The Union provided the PRI a substantial block of votes. The 1.3 million member union is the lrgest trade union in Latin America. The Union today has a virtual veto in changes in the curriculum which has not been substantially modified in decades. The union also supports the short 4-hour day for primary schools. The Union also has prevented release of information to the public that could be used to evaluate the effectiveness of individual schools. Most appaling, the Union aso promotes a an unofficial systen by which the children of a teacher have the right of refusal to their parent's job and if none want it, the job can then be sold to aspirung job applicants. School principals find it impossible to discipline teachers for poor performance. Many teachers are habitually absent. Mexican teachers are poorly paid, about $500-700 per month. The position, however includes bonuses, medical insurance, short days, and only 200 working days a year. The short working days allows many teachers to have second jobs, jobs mny teachers give more attention to than their teaching jobs. [Jordan]

Individual Schools


Uniforms

HBC has only limited information on Mexican school uniforms. Not all schools require uniforms. Many state elementary schools do not require uniforms, but secondary schools do require them. The general fashion is white shirts, ties, sweaters, and grey long pants. Short pants are not commonly required, except for gym uniforms. Knee socks ("calceta escolar") are not common for boys, but as in the image on this page, they are worn at some schools. Knee socks are much more common for girls, perhaps because mist Mexican boys wear long pants to school. Knee socks are very common at girls' schools which is perhaps why they are commonly called school socks. Many girls' schools uniforms involve pleated skirts, often plaid, with white or dark knee socks. Private schools generally require uniforms for both elementary and secondary schools and have dome so for may years. They also have gym uniforms even for the primary children. The styles worn at Mexican schools appear to be generally standard European styles.

Sources

Jordan, Mary. "A union's grip stifles learning," The Washington Post July 14, 2004.





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Created: October 2, 1999
Last updated: 8:31 PM 1/14/2014