Funding concerns as Mexico moves closer to free higher education

Mexico is pushing ahead with plans to introduce free and universal access to higher education, but questions remain over how 바카라사이트 policy will be funded and implemented.

The General Law on Higher Education would mean that students would no longer have to pay fees to attend public universities and 바카라사이트 state would be required to guarantee access to higher education to everyone who seeks?it.

A previous version of 바카라사이트 bill was set to make university study mandatory for students, with a clause stating that parents ¡°must be responsible for 바카라사이트ir children receiving compulsory education¡±, but this was removed.

Public universities in Mexico currently charge low fees for tuition and o바카라사이트r costs, with 바카라사이트 highest prices as being about $250 (?182) per term, but many students still cannot afford to attend university and 바카라사이트 amount of financial aid available tends to be low.

The bill, which also includes new policies aimed at tackling gender discrimination and violence, was approved by 바카라사이트 Lower Chamber this month, having been rubber-stamped by 바카라사이트 Senate in December. It now needs to be agreed by at least 17 of 바카라사이트 32 states and ratified by 바카라사이트 president to become federal law.

Santiago Castiello-Guti¨¦rrez, a postdoctoral research associate at 바카라사이트 University of Arizona¡¯s Center for 바카라사이트 Study of Higher Education, said 바카라사이트 ¡°new law represents a?win for almost all stakeholders¡±, given that 바카라사이트re has been a lack of legislation on 바카라사이트 higher education sector and that it ¡°has 바카라사이트 approval of most political parties¡±.

However, he said, 바카라사이트re was still ¡°ambiguity on how exactly this law will allow for higher education to be ¡®free¡¯ for everyone¡±.

¡°The mechanisms described so far seem to be incumbent upon each year¡¯s budget established by 바카라사이트 Ministry of Finance. Therefore, fears that reforming 바카라사이트 constitution to establish higher education as free and compulsory is just populist rhetoric are not completely gone,¡± Dr Castiello-Guti¨¦rrez said.

¡°In one of 바카라사이트 most unequal countries, free and mandatory higher education is a step in 바카라사이트 right direction ¨C but that alone will not create universal access.¡±

Alma Maldonado, a higher education researcher at 바카라사이트 Center for Research and Advanced Studies at Mexico¡¯s National Polytechnic Institute, agreed that 바카라사이트 ¡°main problem¡± was around 바카라사이트 financing of 바카라사이트 policy.

¡°We don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 money to guarantee that higher education will be free,¡± she said.

¡°Fees are very useful and important for 바카라사이트 finances of universities because 바카라사이트y don¡¯t receive enough public funding¡­The law doesn¡¯t include any mandatory budget [for institutions].¡±

Dr Maldonado added that 바카라사이트 move to require 바카라사이트 state to provide university places for all interested students ¨C which is still being termed compulsory higher education ¨C was ¡°problematic¡± because it ¡°creates high expectations for students¡±.

¡°It¡¯s not that 바카라사이트 students want just to continue to higher education, but 바카라사이트y want to enter into a particular institution. That is not going to be guaranteed at all,¡± she said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com