Most of the participants agreed on the fact that Mexico’s educational policies have a long history or failing to achieve substantial changes in the educational outcomes of Mexico’s children. As reviewed in the literature, the government, the SEP and the teachers have been highly criticised for the poor results in international tests like PISA. All the TTI teachers were very critical when it comes to the educational policy making. They pointed out that there is a lack of organisation in the way the programs are implemented. In fact, some of the teachers agreed that a big problem in the MES its corruption within the policy making.
They need to reinforce policy action with proper allocation of resources; it seems that the funding is not reaching the right targets. In addition, educational reforms sometimes are implemented but they lose continuity, or the outcomes are not measured. (TTI1) The teachers backed the former argument. As TU1 pointed out, policy makers seem to live another reality; the policies are designed with a lack of understanding of the severity of the issues.
Mexico’s educational policy makers must be realistic, sometimes I read about the reforms and reports from the SEP and it seems that they live in different country. Our authorities have another perspective of reality, we live in a country of contrasts, we have children in deep disadvantages and schools are planned for a heterogeneous society; in which all children have the same capacities and condition. They build this system in which teachers are just supposed to teach, and students are supposed to learn accordingly, it is surreal, how out of context our decision makers are sometimes (TU1).
TTI1 argued that policies are correct, but the implementation and the allocation of resources is the main issue. Some of the teachers were asked to provide examples and reasons to have this perception; they mentioned different programs that represented an important allocation of resources, but deficient implementation and incomplete results. According to TR1 one of this program is the tele-secundarias (secondary education schools through audio-visual tools), aimed to serve remote rural communities in the country.
This ambitious program represented an important investment for decades and was launched as a very innovative project from the SEP. However, most of those schools were built by the locals and the families of the pupils and some of those schools never had a television, which is the main tool for the teachers. Most of the teachers have the impression that the financial management in the MES lacks direction and clarity.
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The policies and programs coming from the SEP are very ambitious and if we manage to apply them properly, we could see things changing. But I have the impression that there are always new programs that involve important investments, but for me is not clear how the money is allocated (TTI1).
I think this is a perception most of the teachers have because we are the ones who realize all the resources we are missing. For example, a year ago the SEP launched a so called innovative project to provide children from 5th grade with electronic tablets to promote the use of technologies. Millions and millions were spent in this project and after some months the devices stopped working, quality was terrible and now we have put the tablets in our storage room or the parents must pay for the reparations (TU2).
The former example was stated by some of the participants; the program for the inclusion of digital literacy (program de inclusion y alfabetizacion digital) was highly criticized by the media and society, and was consider one of the “dubious” programs from the SEP. Another example was referred by most of the teachers; the program Mexico connected (El programa Mexico conectado) launched by the SEP representing a big investment. The program aimed to provide basic education schools with internet access as an educational tool for children who don’t have access at home and as an educational tool. As most of the participants point out it didn’t go so well.
All schools nationwide were provided with a satellite internet service, nevertheless, it never worked. We must be in the principal’s office to access internet, and it is still very slow service, you cannot really do much. This is useless, we have computers in the school, but we cannot access to the internet connection. I have colleagues in urban schools that have contracted internet service themselves; the expenses are covered by the money from a cooperative system they have created to get funding for the school (TR1).
As a response to some of the challenges in MES, an important educational reform in Mexico was announced in 2012. The reform has implemented two specific tools to incentive teacher’s capacity: a teacher’s evaluation system and the program for professional development, which coordinates and organises the process of recruitment, promotion, recognition and permanence of teachers.
The educational reform from 2012 sounds like a great effort to improve MES. I think if we all manage to do our part, we will start looking at changes in the short term. The issue with Mexico’s reforms is that they all sound very good and the goals are very well set up, but the implementation and the allocation of resources are not always optimal, it feels that the attempts are good, but we get lost at some point (TTI1).
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According to TTI2 the newest educational reform is very ambitious and has very good and clear set goals to promote E&I in Mexico’s schools; but after four years of its implementation, reality suggest there is a lack of order in its application.
The reform it’s a relevant attempt to improve equity in MES, but in my impression, it lacks order and planning, for example, the reform has already been implemented in the basic education schools, but the changes haven’t reached the TTIs. I think policy reform must be applied at all levels. I think that reforming the TTIs operation is crucial to promote any changes or reform in the basic education (TTI1).
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Summary
In this chapter, the data was discussed and presented in five major themes that emerged from the participants’ views. Most of the participants agreed on the fact that TTI teachers are not fully equipped to develop the TTI students’ competences. Furthermore, the TTI teachers stated that they recognise the issue and reforms that alleviate this problematic are needed. The TTI curriculum was also discussed; the TTI students consider that many of the topics are irrelevant for their development, especially the optative courses. In the other hand, the teacher practices are the most relevant part of the curricula.
When it comes to the diverse socioeconomic contexts in Mexico’s schools, all the teachers agreed that the reality from schools is dramatically different to what they are taught. They agree that there is a very diverse population of pupils with different needs and learning barriers and they were not trained to address those differences. The TTI students agreed that the teacher practices are the most relevant part of the TTI curriculum and key in the development of their competences. Lastly, the educational policies in Mexico were discussed; most of participants stated their scepticism in the way the authorities plan and execute educational policies in Mexico, especially when it comes to the management of financial resources.
The next chapter presents a discussion of the findings, the conclusion and the research questions will be answered. Lastly, the recommendations will be presented.
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6 Discussion and conclusions
The aim of this study was to understand the role of teacher training and educational policy to ensure equity and inclusion in Mexico’s education; and to compare urban and rural schools to explore the diverse cultural contexts. With the education 2030 framework as basis and the findings of this study, this section will present the discussion, conclusions and the research questions will be answered.