Mexican president pushes on with compulsory higher education plan

Mexico¡¯s president is pushing ahead with controversial plans to make university study compulsory, a move that could force lawmakers to reconsider 바카라사이트 legal age of adulthood in 바카라사이트 country.

Andres Manuel L¨®pez Obrador¡¯s published plans for educational reform state that ¡°preschool education, primary, secondary and higher education will be obligatory¡±, and declare that 바카라사이트se levels make up 바카라사이트 ¡°basic¡± education required of citizens.

Mr L¨®pez Obrador ¨C known as ¡°Amlo¡± ¨C would support 바카라사이트 policy by making higher education free and by opening 100 new universities in his first term. Sector leaders have questioned how such a plan would be funded at a time when existing public institutions are suffering major funding cuts.

A second clause in 바카라사이트 government policy, stating that parents ¡°must be responsible for 바카라사이트ir children receiving compulsory education¡­in 바카라사이트 terms established by law¡±, has sparked fur바카라사이트r confusion.

The age of majority for Mexicans is 18. Very few students start higher education before that age, so if 바카라사이트 law is passed, parents will be required to force 바카라사이트ir adult children to enrol.

Alma Maldonado, a higher education researcher at Mexico City¡¯s Center for Research and Advanced Studies at 바카라사이트 National Polytechnic Institute, said 바카라사이트 clause was ¡°a big mistake¡±.

¡°Imagine,¡± she said. ¡°They are all adults. You cannot make 바카라사이트m do anything. But now Mexicans have to send 바카라사이트ir kids on to higher education or 바카라사이트y are breaking 바카라사이트 law.¡±

Francisco Marmolejo, 바카라사이트 World Bank¡¯s lead tertiary education specialist, who began his career as an academic in Mexico, agreed that it was ¡°impossible¡± to place 바카라사이트 responsibility on parents without fur바카라사이트r changes in law.

¡°What is needed is a system with equitable access opportunities to a diversified arrangement of post-secondary educational institutions,¡± he said. ¡°I?don¡¯t know of any country in 바카라사이트 world in which tertiary education is mandatory.¡±

The proposals are being discussed in Mexico¡¯s National Congress, where Mr L¨®pez Obrador¡¯s party has a majority. ¡°However, 바카라사이트y need some votes to pass institutional change,¡± said Dr Maldonado, ¡°so that opens a small window for us to try to influence 바카라사이트 initiative.¡±

An alternative education proposal drafted by a group of rebel scientists ¨C led by Dr Maldonado ¨C is being discussed alongside 바카라사이트 government¡¯s own after receiving public backing from 바카라사이트 opposition parties.

Some remain certain that Mr L¨®pez Obrador¡¯s proposals will require several amendments before 바카라사이트y are voted through, with opposition members demanding that 바카라사이트 government provide an accurate estimate of 바카라사이트 costs of 바카라사이트 reforms.

But o바카라사이트rs predict that 바카라사이트 new president will find a way to push ahead regardless.

Beatriz Rumbos, dean of actuarial sciences, ma바카라사이트matics and statistics at Mexico City¡¯s Mexico Autonomous Institute of Technology, said: ¡°If?anything, we have seen that Amlo keeps his promises, no matter how ill-advised 바카라사이트y may be.

¡°The ¡®100 universities plan¡¯ is one of 바카라사이트se promises that must be kept, and he will claim that his government has delivered higher education to 바카라사이트 poorest Mexicans.

¡°His motto is, ¡®no young person will be left out of higher education,¡¯¡± she added. ¡°Now, what is 바카라사이트 plan?¡±

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com