Education in Mexico

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Education in Mexico

Secretariat of Public Education

Secretary
Deputy Secretary

Alonso Lujambio

National education budget (2007)

Budget:

MXN$200,930,557,665
USD$15,156,192,000[1]

General Details
Primary Languages: | Spanish as the standard. Other minority languages are also available in their local communities.
System Type: | Federal
Current system | September 25, 1921
Literacy (2000)
Total: | 95.8 %
Male: | 97.6 %
Female: | 93.8 %
Enrollment
Total: | 26.6 million
Primary: | 18.5 million
Secondary: | 5.8 million
Post Secondary: | 2.3 million
Attainment
Secondary diploma | n/a
Post-secondary diploma | n/a
Sources: Sistema Educativo de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos. Principales cifras, ciclo escolar 2003-2004 pdf and the 2000 Census (INEGI)

v • d • e

Education in Mexico is regulated by the Secretariat of Public Education (Spanish: Secretaría de Educación Pública). 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. Proof of Mexican citizenship is required to attend public schools for free, but foreigners can attend public schools by paying a tuition.

In the same fashion to other educational systems, education may be described in identifiable stages, such as Primary School, Junior High School, High School, Higher education, and Postgraduate education.

Contents

1 Basic education

1.1 Primary School

1.2 Junior High School

1.3 High School

2 Higher education

2.1 Undergraduate studies

2.2 Post Graduate studies

3 School grades

3.1 School years

4 See also

5 References

6 Sources

7 External links

[edit] Basic education

In Mexico, basic education is normally divided in three steps: primary school (primaria), comprising grades 1-6; junior high school (secundaria), comprising grades 7-9; and high school (preparatoria), comprising grades 10-12.

Depending on definitions, Primary education comprises primaria and secundaria, which are compulsory by law, while Secondary education only includes preparatoria, which is not yet compulsory.

[edit] Primary School

The terms "Primary School" or "Elementary School" usually corresponds to primaria, comprising grades 1-6, when the student's age is 6 to 12 years old. It starts the basic compulsory educational system.

Depending on the school, a bilingual education may be offered from the beginning, where half the day instruction is in Spanish, and the rest is in a second language, for example, English or French.

In Spanish, the general term for "school" is escuela, but in Mexico, it is common to use escuela for state-owned schools, which are the majority, while the term colegio (cognate with "college") is reserved for private schools, usually charging higher tuition fees.

[edit] Junior High School

The terms "Junior High School" or "Middle School" usually corresponds to secundaria, comprising grades 7-9, when the student's age is 12 to 15 years old. It is part of the basic compulsory educational system, it follows primary school, and comes before proper "high school" (preparatoria).

At this level, more specialized subjects may be taught such as Physics and Chemistry, and World History.

Despite the similarities of the words "Secondary school" and secundaria, in Mexico the former is usually translated to preparatoria, while in other countries, such as Puerto Rico, or within the Spanish-speaking populations of the United States, the term secundaria is in fact used to refer to High School.

[edit] High School

The term "High School" (United States) or gymnasium (German, Dutch systems) usually corresponds to preparatoria or bachillerato, comprising grades 10-12, when the student's age is 15 to 18 years old. It may prepare the student with basic training for a job, and is the required step before enrollment into a college or university.

Preparatoria traditionally consists of 3 years of education, divided into 6 semesters, with the first semesters having a common curriculum, and the latter ones allowing some degree of specialization, either in physical sciences (electricity, chemistry, biology, etc.) or social sciences (commerce, philosophy, law, etc.).

The term preparatoria is most commonly used for institutions that offer a 3-year educational program that "prepares" the student with general knowledge to continue studying at a university. In contrast, the term bachillerato is most often used for institutions that provide vocational training, either in 2 or 3 years, so the graduate can get a job as a skilled worker, for example, an assistant accountant, a bilingual secretary or an electronics technician.

[edit] Higher education

Higher education usually follows the US educational model with an at least 4-year Bachelor's degree at the undergraduate level (Licenciatura), and two degrees at the postgraduate level, a 2-year Master's degree (Maestría), and a 3-year Doctoral degree (Doctorado).

This structure of education very closely conforms to the Bologna Process started in Europe in 1999, allowing Mexican students to study abroad and pursue a Master's degree after Licenciatura, or a Doctoral degree after Maestría.

[edit] Undergraduate studies

Undergraduate studies normally last at least 4 years, divided into semesters or quarters, depending on the college or university, and lead to a Bachelor's degree (Licenciatura).

Although in theory every graduate of a Licenciatura is a Licenciate (Licenciado, abbreviated Lic.) of his or her profession, it is common to use different titles for common professions such as Engineering and Architecture.

Engineer, Ingeniero, abbreviated Ing.

Electrical Engineer, Ingeniero Eléctrico

Electronics Engineer, Ingeniero Electrónico

Mechanical Engineer, Ingeniero Mecánico

Computer Systems Engineer, Ingeniero en Sistemas Computacionales, abbreviated I.S.C.

Architect, Arquitecto, abbreviated Arq.

Licenciate, any degree, specially those from social sciences, Licenciado, abbreviated Lic.

[edit] Post Graduate studies

New regulations since 2005 divide postgraduate studies at Mexican Universities and research centers in two main categories:[2]

Targeted at professional development

Especialización. A 1-year course after a Bachelor's degree (Licenciatura), which awards a Specialization Diploma (Diploma de Especialización).

Maestría. A 2-year degree after a Bachelor's degree (Licenciatura), which awards the title of Master (Maestro).

Targeted at scientific research

Maestría en Ciencias. A 2-year degree after a Bachelor's degree (Licenciatura), which awards the title of Master of Science (Maestro en Ciencias).

Doctorado en Ciencias. A 3-year degree after a Master's degree (either Maestría or Maestría en Ciencias), or a 4-year degree directly after the Bachelor's degree (Licenciatura) for high-achieving students, which awards the title of Doctor of Science (Doctor en Ciencias).

[edit] School grades

[edit] School years

The table below describes the most common patterns for schooling in the state sector:

UNAM The main campus at Mexico City.

ITESM Tec de Monterrey.

National Polytechnic Institute

Headquarters of the UANL

Minimum age (common) | Year | Months | Schools
2 | N/A | N/A | Nursery | Maternal
3 | 1° de preescolar | N/A | Pre-School | Kinder / Jardin de Niños / Educación preescolar
4 | 2° de preescolar | N/A
5 | 3° de preescolar | N/A
6 | 1° de primaria | N/A | Primary school / Elementary school | Primaria / Educación básica
7 | 2° de primaria | N/A
8 | 3° de primaria | N/A
9 | 4° de primaria | N/A
10 | 5° de primaria | N/A
11 | 10 de primaria | N/A
12 | 1° de secundaria | N/A | Secondary school / Middle school / Junior High School | Secundaria / Educación básica
13 | 2° de secundaria | N/A
14 | 3° de secundaria | N/A
15 | 4°/1° de preparatoria | 1st and 2nd semesters | High school | Preparatoria / Bachillerato / Educación media superior
16 | 5°/2° de preparatoria | 3rd and 4th semesters
17 | 6°/3° de preparatoria | 5th and 6th semesters
18 | N/A | 1st and 2nd semesters / 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarters | Bachelor's degree / Licenciate | Licenciatura / Educación superior
19 | N/A | 3rd and 4th semesters / 4th, 5th and 6th quarters
20 | N/A | 5th and 6th semesters / 7th, 8th and 9th quarters
21 | N/A | 7th and 8th semesters / 10th quarter
22–23 | N/A | ... | Master's degree | Maestría
N/A | N/A | ... | Doctorate | Doctorado

[edit] See also

Telesecundaria, secondary online education in Mexico

[edit] References

^ http://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/PEF_2009.pdf

^ Tamez Guerra, Reyes; Rubio Oca, Julio; Fuentes Lemus, Bulmaro; Valdés Garza, Mario (May 2005) (in Spanish). Disposiciones para la Operación de Estudios de Posgrado en el Sistema Nacional de Educación Superior Tecnológica. Mexico: Dirección General de Educación Superior Tecnológica.

[edit] Sources

Tamez Guerra, Reyes (2004). Sistema Educativo de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos. Principales cifras, ciclo escolar 2003-2004. Mexico City: Dirección General de Planeación, Programación y Presupuesto Secretaría de Educación Pública. ISBN 968-5778-12-4.

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

US Department of Education (2003) Education around the World: Mexico.

v • d • e

Education in North America

Sovereign states

Antigua and Barbuda · Bahamas · Barbados · Belize · Canada · Costa Rica · Cuba · Dominica · Dominican Republic · El Salvador · Grenada · Guatemala · Haiti · Honduras · Jamaica · Mexico · Nicaragua · Panama1 · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Trinidad and Tobago1 · United States

Dependencies and
other territories

Anguilla · Aruba1 · Bermuda · Bonaire · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Curaçao · Greenland · Guadeloupe · Martinique · Montserrat · Puerto Rico · Saint Barthélemy · Saint Martin · Saint Pierre and Miquelon · Saba · Sint Eustatius · Sint Maarten · Turks and Caicos Islands · United States Virgin Islands

1 Territories also in or commonly considered to be part of South America.

[edit] External links

(Spanish) SEP homepage

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Mexico"

Categories: Education in Mexico

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