HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN MEXICO: ANTECEDENTS AND EVOLUTION - HISTORY - 2025

The history of education in Mexico is long and has had different contexts that have influenced its evolution to this day. Since its inception during the Mesoamerican period, through Spanish colonization and then through the educational policies of independent Mexico, the country's education has been exposed to various very notable historical changes.

The Catholic Church and Charles V played a fundamental role in changing the traditional education imposed by the local tribes before the colony. Without a doubt, the Catholic religion was the main factor that defined the educational policies of the country under the rule of the Spanish Crown. It was also the time when the first universities were founded.

Armando Olivo Martín del Campo / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

Already with an independent Mexico in the mid-nineteenth century, the educational structure took another course, but it was not until the twentieth century that the current system developed. In addition, it was in this century when the largest number of Mexican educational institutions were created that are still standing today and are among the most important in the country.

Background

Aztecs

Aztec Calmécac. Codex_Mendoza_folio_61r.jpg: Francisco Gualpuyohualcal? Derivative work: El ComandanteHasta ∞ / Public domain

The first signs of an educational system that appeared in the history of Mexico came from the hand of the Aztec civilization. They had two main types of educational institutions: the calmécac, which were used to train warriors; and the cuicacalli, used to educate priests.

During the Aztec rule in Mexico a high importance was given to religious culture. For this reason, the creation of institutions that would serve to prepare the future priests of the villages was considered essential. In these they learned everything related to the worship of the Aztec gods, as well as learning to perform ceremonial rituals.

In the same way, as the Aztec civilization expanded throughout Mesoamerica by means of arms, it was essential to train trained warriors to quickly and effectively end the life of the enemy.

Based on these two Aztec principles, the first educational systems of Mesoamerica and, therefore, of Mexico, were born.

Mayas

Mayan scribe sculpture. Stefan Krasowski / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

The Mayan civilization also had an educational system, although it was much more selective than that of their Aztec counterparts. The Mayans educated only the highest social classes, tribal chiefs, and war leaders.

People from less wealthy social classes or unrelated to royalty were educated at home by their own families. It was a fairly selective and exclusive system. On the other hand, in many instances hieroglyphs were used to transcribe certain words.

Evolution

Arrival of the Spaniards

Francisco Cervantes de Salazar, rector of the Real y Pontificia Universidad de México, the first university in the nation. Soumaya Museum / Public domain

When the Spanish first arrived in Mexican territory, they sought to impart religious education to all the local indigenous people through priests sent from Europe.

Educational centers were built throughout the region and some locals were even trained to become priests, although the latter was not very successful.

In the larger indigenous communities that remained in Mexico after the Conquest and during the colonization period, churches were built to teach catechism and promote Catholicism.

The whites had a more specialized education, especially the Creoles. Peninsular whites went to Mexico already prepared in Spain, while Creoles were usually educated within the same region.

Similarly, girls and boys of mixed race or less favored social classes had few educational privileges. In many cases they did not study, which caused the entire pre-independence Mexican region to have a high level of illiteracy.

Advances in education in the 18th century

Engraving of 1769 of the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico. File: Lecciones matematicas - Real Universidad de México - 1769.djvu: Josef ignacio Bartolachederivative work: Shooke / Public domain

One of the main arguments to popularize education in Mexico was to involve young people in religious doctrine. Most young people in what was then New Spain were thought to have little knowledge of Christian religious doctrines; by then, it was unacceptable.

This led to the creation of schools specialized in religious teaching and the creation of a "moral" in all students. This morality would not only serve to save young people from hell, but also to create a certain level of responsibility in society that would enact peace within the nation.

It should be noted that the training was not purely religious. Young people also learned literature and mathematics. The skills that were taught were mainly technical, so that upon completion of their studies they could join as useful members of the colonial society of the time.

It was near the end of the century when other types of methodologies began to be implemented. More emphasis began to be placed on teaching subjects, although religion was still prioritized.

Educational consolidation of the 19th century

Agustín de Iturbide. Unidentified painter / Public domain

The government of Agustín Iturbide (monarch of the First Mexican Empire) tried to establish more clearly an educational system in Mexico, but the lack of money in the country did not allow it to carry out this work. However, it laid the foundations for the reforms of Valentín Gómez Farías, who made education public with his 1824 project.

With Mexico already independent, Gómez Farías was considered the father of public education in the country. The government became the main responsible for Mexican education, leaving the Church on one side and giving priority to other issues beyond religion.

Advances of the 20th century

Institute of Engineering of Ciudad Universitaria (CU). Armando Olivo Martín del Campo / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

After the arrival of Porfirio Díaz to the Mexican government, and with the advice of teacher Justo Sierra Méndez, the University of Mexico was inaugurated. A few years later, it became the first autonomous university in the country and received its current name: the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

It was in the mid-1930s that the teaching profession received a new prestigious degree. Until 1935 most teachers did not have a high level of education.

With the creation of a law that made teachers official workers of the country, and the founding of the official union of teachers in Mexico, education received a significant boost with the improvement of the quality of teachers.

The 1960s were also productive for Mexican education, as textbooks were updated to give more emphasis to students' scientific and historical knowledge.

Starting in 1970, priority was given to the education of Mexican women, since the number of female students was quite small compared to their male counterpart. This process was consolidated in 2006, when Mexican education reached its current state of development.

References

1. Mexico - History and Background, State University, (nd). Taken from stateuniversity.com
2. Educational System in Mexico, Class Base, 2012. Taken from classbase.com
3. The Mexican Education System: An Overview, Transferwise online, 2017. Taken from transferwise.com
4. Education in Mexico, Wikipedia in English, April 9, 2018. Taken from wikipedia.org
5. Ancient Maya Education, Inca Maya Aztec Website, 2018. Taken from incamayanaztec.com