Introduction
On the International Day of Indigenous Women, Mario Delgado Carrillo, Secretary of Public Education (SEP), and Morelos Governor Margarita González Saravia, commemorated the date with a Reading Marathon and launched the state’s literacy campaign, “Sembrando Saberes,” to address educational disparities in remote and marginalized communities.
Background on Key Figures
Mario Delgado Carrillo: The Secretary of Public Education (SEP) who has been instrumental in promoting literacy and education initiatives under President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo’s administration.
Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo: The President of Mexico who champions a “republic of readers” and supports indigenous languages and cultures.
Margarita González Saravia: The Governor of Morelos who has collaborated with SEP to address educational disparities in her state.
Reading Marathon and Literacy Campaign
The Reading Marathon took place at the indigenous Nahua school, Miguel Otón de Mendizábal, in Cuentepec. Participants included children, parents, teachers, and community members who read collectively in their native languages and Spanish.
Delgado Carrillo emphasized that the Nueva Escuela Mexicana (NEM) promotes dialogue, collaboration, and opening classroom windows to life. He highlighted that reading is both an individual and collective act, as demonstrated in the marathon’s ninth edition.
The campaign, “Sembrando Saberes,” aims to foster literacy and strengthen the imagination, analysis, and reflection of children, adolescents, and families. It encourages community participation and transforms schools into spaces for gathering, dialogue, and collective construction.
Launch of the Sembrando Saberes Program
In Cuernavaca’s Plaza de Armas General Emiliano Zapata, Delgado Carrillo and González Saravia initiated the Sembrando Saberes literacy program, involving 1,500 volunteers.
Delgado Carrillo mentioned that over 200,000 Mexicans will learn to read and write by 2025, impacting families and communities. Between January and June 2023, over 23,000 women learned to read and write, more than 47,000 completed primary education, and over 75,000 obtained their secondary school certificates.
These achievements aim to dismantle exclusionary structures and build new horizons through popular education. The goal is to reduce the literacy rate below 4% by 2026, following Vasconcelos’ legacy of making Mexico a place where all voices can write their own chapters.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who organized the Reading Marathon and literacy campaign? The Secretary of Public Education (SEP) and the Government of Morelos, led by Governor Margarita González Saravia.
- What is the purpose of the “Sembrando Saberes” campaign? To address educational disparities in remote and marginalized communities by promoting literacy and community participation.
- How many people in Morelos are affected by the literacy campaign? Over 63,000 adults in Morelos lack basic literacy skills, with more than 4% illiteracy in 26 municipalities.
- What is the ultimate goal of the literacy campaign in Morelos? To reduce the literacy rate below 4% by 2026 and work towards its complete eradication through collaboration with the state government.
