The Education System in Mexico

The Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP) is the governing body of Mexico in charge of all educational standards and rules. In 2004, the national government allotted almost $46 billion to education. Spanish is the primary language used in most public and private schools. By 2004, Mexico’s literacy rate is 91%.

The educational system of Mexico is composed of Basic, Secondary and Higher Education. Basic education includes preschool, primary and lower secondary school. Preschool is generally free and offered to children aged 3-5. Primary school is compulsory and attended for 6 years. The lower secondary stage is the last part of Basic Education and required for 3 years. The Secondary Education has also 3 stages: General upper-secondary; technical professional; and technological upper-secondary education. Lastly, the Higher Education composed of 4 options for all students – University, Technical Institute, Teacher-training College, and Technological University. Students can opt for any 4-year degree in colleges and universities and commonly known as licenciatura. Some Technical Institutions offer 3-year management and engineering programs. Also, bachelor’s degrees in the fields of education are another option. And other Technical universities offer 2-year programs.

The most prominent and biggest public university in Mexico is the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) which was established in 1551. By the end of 2007, it places 192nd in the Top 200 World University Ranking issued by The Times Higher Education Supplement. Nearly all of Mexico’s modern-day presidents graduated from UNAM including 3 Nobel laureates. The National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) is the second largest public university in Mexico. The Monterrey’s Technological and Higher Education Institute (ITESM) is on the other hand considered to be one of the best private universities in Mexico. The Wall Street Journal declared it as the 7th top International Business School in the world.