Mexico

Early Childhood Education

Services

Mexico

National Education System

Formal education services

Other Education services

Type Compulsory Basic EducationSecondary

Education Terciary Education

LevelPre-School

2-3 years

Primary

6 years

Junior High

school

3 years

Mid-level

vocational

training

3 years

High-

School

3 years

Upper-level

vocational

training

3-4 years

University

4 yearsGraduate

Age 3-6 6-13 12-15 15-18 15-18 18

Start

age4 6 Under 15

Services

Initial Education

Non-compulsorySpecial Education Adult Education

Lactantes (45 days-18 months) Multiple services

centres

Literacy

Maternal (19-47 months) Primary

Parent-lead initial education (0-4 years)

Specialized education

support unit

Secondary

Job training

Children and enrollment

Age Children Enrollment %

3 1’982,960 679,858 34

4 2’043,283 1’902,563 93

5 2’121,729 2’116,610 100

Pre-school (2006-2007)

Children under 4 in México 10.2 million

Children under 4 in poverty (rural &

indigenous)2.0 million

Children under 4 in day care,

childcare, early childhood services

and pre-school

1.5 million

Initial education services

The evolution of early childhood education

1943-1976

• Day care centres-Labor sector

• Day care sites for children of working mothers

1976

• Child development centres-Labor sector

• Incorporation of educational approach and trained staff

• Offered in urban areas

S/D

• Social and non-governmental organisations

• Community work support and parent-lead education

• Offered in marginal urban areas

1981

• Parent-lead early childhood education-Education sector

• Agents of education are parents and community members

• Offered in urban and marginal urban areas

1993-

• Conafe Early Childhood Education programme-Education sector

• Incorporation of educational methodology and material

• Rural and indigenous areas-Equity policy

Types of Initial Education Services(0 – 4 years)

Type Service Institution Sector

Formal

(Children-

lead)

Community childcare centresNational comprehensive family

development system (DIF)Social

Child development care centresNational comprehensive family

development system (DIF)Social

Family day care centres Social Development Ministry (SEDESOL) Social

Child development and well-being

centres

Security and Social Services for State

Workers (ISSSTE)Social

Childcare centresMexican Institute of Social Healthcare

(IMSS)Social

Child development centres Public institutions (SEP) Education

Childcare private centres Private Private

Non Formal

(Parent-

lead)

Early childhood educationNational Council for Promotion of

Education (Conafe)Education

Both

Community early childhood educationNational Council for Promotion of

Education (Conafe)Education

Indigenous early childhood educationGeneral Directorate for Indigenous

Education Education

Emerging social services Non-Governmental Organisations NGO’s

Fields and services of Early Childhood Education

Centres, children and teachers

Field Service Centres Children Teachers Ratio

Initial

Educa-

tion

Community and development childcare

centres (DIF)163 4,592 328 1:14

Family day care centres (SEDESOL) 495 11,365 874 1:13

Child development and well-being centres

(ISSSTE)275 34,047 2,664 1:12

Childcare centres (IMSS) 1,526 228,503 32,643 1:7

Child development centres (CENDI-SEP) 143 14,224 1,422 1:10

Parent-lead initial education (Conafe) 27,189 436,712 27,189 1:15

Community initial education (Conafe) 655 5,240 655 1:8

Indigenous initial education (SEP) 2,361 62,330 1,385 1:45

Subtotal 32,807 797,013 67,160

Pre-

School

Regular Pre-School 88,426 4,745,741 237,280 1:20

Community Pre-School 20,978 165,548 16,520 1:10

Indigenous Pre-School 9,408 383,036 17,390 1:22

Subtotal 118,812 5’294,325 271,190

Total 151,619 6’091,338 338,350

Initial training and accreditationDay care, family care and development centres

Service Job titleRequirements

Initial trainingAccreditation

Childcare centres (DIF)Pre-school

teacher

• University

• Previous experience

on childcare

• Diploma

Family day care centre (SEDESOL)Supervisor of

the centre

• Basic education

• Training and

certificate of

competencies

• Certificate

Child development and well-being

centre (ISSSTE)Initial educator • Vocational training • Certificate

Childcare centres (IMSS)Teacher

assistant

• Vocational training

• Specialized training • Certificate

Child development centre (CENDI-

SEP)

Initial educator

and Pre-school

teacher

• Vocational training

• University

• Certificate

• Diploma

Initial training and accreditationInitial education services

Service Job title Initial trainingAccreditat

ion

Parent-lead initial

education (Conafe)

Educational developer

(promotora educativa)

• 18 years or older

• Belong to the

community

• Local language spoken

• Preferible basic

education

• 120 hours of training

Community initial

education (Conafe)

Community instructor

(Instructor Comunitario)

• Age 16 -25

• Basic education

• 7 weeks of initial

training

Indigenous initial

education (SEP)

Teacher

(Profesor) • University • Diploma

Initial training and accreditationPre-school

Sevice Job titleRequirements Initial

training

Accreditat

ion

Regular pre-schoolPre-school teacher

(Profesor preescolar)

• Pre-school

university • Diploma

Community pre-schoolCommunity instructor

(Instructor comunitario)

• Basic education

• Native language

spoken

• Age 14-27

Indigenous pre-schoolPre-school teacher

(Profesor preescolar)

• Pre-school

university • Diploma

Initial Training

• University– Initial Education / Universidad Mexicoamericana del Norte (Tamaulipas)

• Training child development (0 a 4 years)

• 4 years preparation

– Educative Intervention – research line initial education / UPN

• Sponsored by AMIE (Internacional Asociation for Initial Education)

• Early attention and child care development (0 a 6 years)

• 4 years preparation

• Teaching school – inicial education teacher– Escuela Normal de Educación Preescolar del Estado de Coahuila (40 days to 3.11

years)

– Escuela Normal particular Gabriel Aguirre, San Luis Potosí

– 8 terms

Focus on curriculum

• General knowledge of education field– History

– Psychology

• Child development– Language

– Phisical & pshycomotor

– Logical-math process

– Emotional development

• Specific approach to– Babycare

– Family environment

– Children on risk and condition of social vulnerability

• Extensive studies and workshops– Specialized didactic

– Teaching workshops

– Supervised practice

Training promotoras (educational developer)

• Adult training workshops

• Basic knowledge on early childhood

• Competencies in parents and caregivers

• Improvement on raising techniques/practices

• Development fields of children– Health and care

– Individual and social development

– Language and communication

– Environment interaction

• Community involvement and communication

Challenges and commitments of

Early Childhood Education in Mexico

Increase of coverage

•Equity, attention & focus on vulnerable population

Value ECEC culture positively

•Acknowledge the impact of ECEC & policy support

Development of workforce

•Training, social recognition & accreditation

Synergy and integration

•Adult education, social and health-related programs

Public policies for ECEC

•Municipalities, social organisations

Multiculturalism and diversity

•Respect for the local culture & traditions, strengthening social cohesion

Monitoring & Evaluation

•Generating knowledge, impact indicators, quantity and quality results