Introduction
As the International Day of Education approaches on January 24th, Mexico faces a mixed educational landscape with some progress but significant challenges remaining in terms of funding, quality, accessibility, and student performance.
Accessibility and Educational Gaps
The most comprehensive indicator of educational access in Mexico is the “educational lag due to insufficient schooling,” which is part of social indicators for measuring poverty, previously managed by the now-defunct Coneval and currently overseen by Inegi.
- As of 2024, the latest available data, 24.2 million Mexicans had educational lag due to insufficient schooling, accounting for 18% of the total population.
Mexico has seen modest advances in reducing educational lag at the obligatory level. According to the most recent OECD report, between 2019 and 2024, the proportion of young adults (25-34 years old) who did not complete upper secondary education decreased from 49% to 41%. However, Mexico’s educational lag at the obligatory level remains significantly higher than the OECD average: 13%.
- In basic education (pre-school, primary, and secondary), Mexico has maintained low rates of educational lag: only 1.1% of secondary students have at least two years more age than expected for their grade level, indicating fewer delays in normal academic progression.
- However, effective access declines as education levels increase. Enrollment rates drop in the transition from secondary to upper secondary and from upper secondary to tertiary education, reflecting economic, geographical, and availability barriers in educational offerings, particularly in rural areas or low-population density regions.
- Internationally, Mexico’s tertiary education remains less accessible than in many countries. A small proportion of young people access higher studies, and international student mobility remains modest compared to other OECD member countries.
Public Spending on Education: Underinvestment and Budget Priorities
A critical aspect of Mexico’s educational system is public spending. The OECD reports that Mexico allocates approximately 4.3% of its national GDP to education from primary school through tertiary levels, slightly below the OECD average of 4.7%.
- Per-student spending in Mexico is also below the international average: the average expenditure per student from primary school to non-tertiary tertiary levels is around $2,790, while tertiary education spending per student averages $4,430. Both figures are far below the roughly $15,000 invested in similar economies by other OECD countries.
By level, the majority of spending concentrates on basic education, primarily through the Fondo de Aportaciones para la Nómina Educativa y Gasto Operativo (FONE), while upper secondary and tertiary education receive a smaller portion of the total budget.
- In 2024, for example, federal spending on basic education reached nearly 676 billion pesos, compared to less than 185 billion pesos allocated for tertiary education.
Educational Quality and Learning Conditions
Beyond coverage, educational quality and teaching conditions present significant challenges. The average class size in Mexican primary schools (23.1 students per classroom) exceeds the OECD average, potentially impacting individual attention and teaching effectiveness.
- Mexican students receive 760 hours per year in primary school, below the OECD average of 804 hours.
International test results, such as those from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), show that Mexico is among the lowest-performing OECD countries, particularly in science and mathematics.
Key Questions and Answers
- Q: What are the main educational challenges in Mexico? A: Despite some progress, Mexico faces significant challenges in educational funding, quality, accessibility, and student performance.
- Q: How does Mexico’s educational spending compare internationally? A: Mexico allocates 4.3% of its GDP to education, slightly below the OECD average of 4.7%. Per-student spending is also below international averages.
- Q: What are the main barriers to accessing higher education in Mexico? A: Economic, geographical, and availability barriers in educational offerings, particularly in rural areas or low-population density regions, limit access to higher education.
- Q: How do Mexican students perform in international assessments? A: Mexico ranks among the lowest-performing OECD countries in international assessments, especially in science and mathematics.
