Education in Mexico

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Educational oversight Secretariat of Public Education
Reyes Tamez Guerra National education budget MXN$501.214 billion (2004) Primary language(s) of education Spanish. Available also in Náhuatl and other minority languages. Nationalized system
Establishment
September 25, 1921 Literacy (2000)
 • Men
 • Women 90.5 %
92.5 %
88.6 % Enrollment
 • Primary
 • Secondary
 • Post-secondary 26.6 million
18.5 million
5.8 million
2.3 million Attainment
 • Secondary diploma
 • Post-secondary diploma
N/A
N/A Sources: Sistema Educativo de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos. Principales cifras, ciclo escolar 2003-2004 pdf and the 2000 Census (INEGI)

Education in Mexico is centralized with curriculum decisions being made at the federal level through the Secretariat of Public Education (Spanish: Secretaría de Educación Pública or SEP). Educational standards are set by this Ministry at all levels except in autonomous universities chartered by the government (e.g. UNAM). Accreditation of private schools is accomplished by a mandatory approval and registration with this institution.

The 1917 Constitution provides that education should avoid privileges of religion, and that one religion or its members may not be given preference in education over another. Religious instruction is prohibited in public schools; however, religious associations are free to maintain private schools, which receive no public funds.

School grades

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Level / Grade, Age (Years old)

• Pre-School, Nursery School
• Kindergarten, 5–6; beginning of "basic" education (educación básica).
• Primaria (Primary School)
  • 1st Grade, 6–7
  • 2nd Grade, 7–8
  • 3rd Grade, 8–9
  • 4th Grade, 9–10
  • 5th Grade, 10–11
  • 6th Grade, 11–12
• Secundaria (Secondary School)
  • First grade, 12–13
  • Second grade, 13–14
  • Third grade, 14–15
• Bachillerato or Preparatoria (High School)
  • First grade, 15–16; beginning of "middle higher" education (educación media superior).
  • Second grade, 16–17
  • Third grade, 17–18
• University; beginning of "higher" education (educación superior)
  • Four or five years leading to a Bachelor's degree (licenciatura)
• Postgraduate
  • Two to three years leading to a Master's Degree (maestría)
  • Three or more years after the completion of a Master's degree, leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D., known locally as doctorado).

See also

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• Telesecundaria, secondary online education in Mexico

Sources

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• Department of State (2004). International Religious Freedom Report 2004. Mexico. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

External link

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• SEP homepage (in Spanish).

Education in Mexico

Educación en México