Education in Mejico

In Mejico, education is provided in public and private schools, by religious institutions, and by individuals through homeschooling. The central government sets overall educational standards, mandates standardized tests for public school systems, and monitors educational outcomes. The Secretariat for Public Education (Spanish: Secretaría de Educación Pública) is the federal authority responsible for overseeing education in the country. Established in 1921, the Secretariat, commonly known by its acronym SEP, plays a crucial role in formulating educational policy, curricula, and standards.

Mejico's educational budget corresponded to 9.6% of the national GDP in 2020, or approximately ₧750 billion, one of the highest expenditures on education in the world. Per the Constitution, the Mejican state is to provide preschool, primary, secondary, and high school education in a free and compulsory manner, as well as facilitate access to higher education. Public education is predominantly delivered in Spanish, although bilingual programs exist to cater to the country's large immigrant and Indigenous populations. Education in Mejico is structured as follows: Educación Básica (Basic Education), including pre-school, primary, and secondary school, Educación Prevocacional (Prevocational Education), which covers high school and technical training, and Educación Superior (Higher Education), which includes universities, colleges, and postgraduate programs.

Basic education is compulsory for all children between the ages of six and fifteen and is provided free of charge in public schools. Prevocational education, while not compulsory, is also provided free of charge in public schools for those who choose to pursue it. Higher education is available at universities and other institutions of higher learning throughout the country, many of which are public. Private and parochial schools are also a significant part of the educational landscape in Mejico, offering various specialized curriculums and educational approaches. These institutions provide alternatives to the public schooling system, focusing on different pedagogical methodologies or religious education. Private and parochial schools charge tuition fees, but they are regulated by the SEP to ensure they meet national educational standards.

Approximately 74% of Mejican schoolchildren attend public schools, 13% attend parochial schools, 11% attend private schools, and 2% are home-schooled. The phenomenon of home-schooling is relatively new in Mejico, but has been growing steadily over the past decade. This method of education is chosen by families seeking more personalized instruction or specific ideological and pedagogical approaches. Homeschooling is regulated by the SEP, which mandates that homeschooled students must adhere to the national curriculum and achieve similar academic standards as traditionally-schooled children.

The education of the Mejican nobility is traditionally divided into two main categories: formal education and specialized training. Formal education for noble children follows a curriculum similar to that of the general population, with a strong emphasis on academic subjects such as mathematics, science, languages, and humanities. They often receive specialized training in areas such as courtly etiquette, diplomacy, horsemanship, and leadership. These skills are considered essential for their future roles as members of the nobility, where they may be expected to assume positions of authority and responsibility within the government or other sectors of society.

Of Mejicans aged 25 and older, 84.6% have graduated from high school, 52.6% attended some college or university, 27.2% earned a bachelor's degree, and 9.6% have earned a graduate degree. Approximately 80% of Mejican university students attend public universities. The basic literacy rate is approximately 99.97%. The League of Nations assigns Mejico an education index of 0.97, tying it for 12th in the world, while The Economist's Intelligence Unit rated Mejican education as the 8th best in the world in 2014. Standardized tests in Mejico rigorous and comprehensive, measuring basic competence in mathematics, science, language, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and creativity. The National Assessment of Academic Achievement (Evaluación Nacional del Rendimiento Académico, ENRA), administered by the SEP, is the main component of Mejico's standardized testing system.

Mejico has many public and private institutions of higher education. Many of the world's top 100 universities, listed by various ranking organizations, are located in Mejico. There are also local community colleges with generally more open admission policies, shorter academic programmes and lower tuition. Among Mejico's best universities are the Royal and Pontifical University of Mejico, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Universidad Imperial Metropolitana, Royal New Calmecac Institute, Real Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara, Real Colegio Tridentino de Monterrey, Universidad Panamericana, Universidad Anáhuac, Universidad del Valle de Méjico, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Pandidacterio Campus Méjico, Universidad Fulgencina de Los Ángeles, Universidad de San Diego, Universidad Francisco Fagoaga, Real Colegio de Pomona, Universidad Rice y la Universidad Católica de Baylor. Each province also has its own autonomous university, which offers a wide range of academic programs and is more easily accessible to the populace.