For many years the Federal government has pledged to reform the country’s underperforming education system. But sadly, Latin America’s second-largest economy still struggles to provide quality education to the overwhelming majority of the population. Numerous barriers prevent millions of Mexicans from receiving a quality education. Most of these barriers are part of a larger overarching problem of economic, racial, and gender-based inequalities in Mexico.
The Impact of Economic Inequality on Education in Mexico
Despite being classified as an upper-middle-income nation, over 40% of Mexico’s nearly 130 million people live in working poverty and 18% live in extreme poverty. The impact of this economic inequality is visible in multiple facets of Mexican life, including the education system.
Children in Mexico’s most economically challenged communities generally receive a poorer quality of education compared to children of wealthy parents in the affluent parts of major cities. The rates of dropouts, absences, and grade repetition are all much higher in poor communities.
Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are also much less likely to attend school in the first place. Many drop out at a young age to work, as their parents may be unable to meet the family’s needs on their own.
The education system does not only reflect the larger problem of inequality in Mexico, but it also reinforces these inequities. While education is idealistically thought of as a path toward upward social and economic mobility, the children who are most in need of such upward mobility receive the poorest education in all facets, from funding to materials to teacher preparation.
Racial Disparities in Education Access
Mexico’s inequality and education issues extend along racial lines, as well. A study by the Latin American Public Opinion Project at Vanderbilt University (LAPOP) found that in Mexico, darker skin is linked to lower wealth and less schooling. The study’s authors wrote that “race is the single most important determinant of a Mexican citizen’s economic and educational attainment.”
Data from this study showed that light-skinned Mexicans completed an average of 10 years of schooling, while those with browner skin only completed 6.5 years—a 45 percent difference. The average Mexican student (regardless of race) completes nine years.
These disparities in education are reflected in wealth distribution, as well. Mexicans with lighter skin were found to earn an average income of $220 (USD) per month, while their darker-skinned compatriots earn just $137 (USD).
Indigenous communities are most affected by these disparities, as they are disproportionately poor compared to non-indigenous communities. Naturally, this has serious repercussions in access to education. Indigenous children also face unique hurdles, such as significant cultural differences, discrimination, and curriculums that are not relevant to life in their communities.
Gender-Based Inequities in Mexican Education
Mexico has made strides toward becoming a more gender-equal nation over the past few decades, but the country still has a long way to go. Mexican women continue to face a disparity in political representation and participation, a gender pay gap, high rates of femicide and domestic violence, and unequal access to education, among other inequalities.
The disparity in education is most prevalent among girls from families with low incomes. These children are often asked to help with domestic activities at home, rather than attend school. Data from the World Bank shows that Mexican girls are more likely than boys to drop out of school by age 12 and less likely to graduate high school or attend college. This issue is often generational, as the daughters of educated mothers are much more likely to attend and complete basic schooling.
Insufficient Funding in Education
After increasing from 2.3% of the GDP in 1989 to 5.3% in 2014, Mexico’s education budget has been in decline. As of 2018, World Bank data shows that just 4.3% of the nation’s GDP went towards education. This places Mexico below the average of 4.9% among OECD countries.
This underfunding makes it difficult to provide many Mexican students with the textbooks, digital technologies, and other tools they need to learn effectively. Underfunded schools also generally have larger class sizes, which can hurt student performance. Numerous studies have shown that students in smaller classrooms perform better in all subjects and in all assessments compared to students in larger classes.
Lack of Parent Involvement Due to Centralized Structure
Mexico is a massive and culturally diverse country, with region-specific cultures, traditions, and ways of life. However, the Mexican public education system is centralized and does not account for these regional differences. In smaller towns and rural areas, the centralized school curriculum does not account for the region-specific issues that students and teachers face.
This centralized structure often prevents parents from becoming more involved in the education of their children, as they are often unable to communicate with school officials. An education system that accounts for these regional differences would be more apt to cater to the needs of students and their parents.