The Head of Government of Mexico City, Clara Brugada, announced that secondary schools in the capital of the country will be able to teach classes in Nahuatl. According to the local government, these voluntary classes will be offered in 78 public elementary and secondary schools in Mexico City so that students can learn more about indigenous peoples and their identity.
During a visit to Technical Secondary School No. 28, Francisco Goitia García, Clara Brugada detailed that this school will be one of the establishments where Nahuatl will be taught as an elective subject. Students will have the choice to take the lessons if they wish, with the goal of becoming familiar with the history, knowledge, and traditions of indigenous peoples through learning this language.
The leader emphasized the importance of promoting knowledge about Nahuatl, as it is an Indigenous language spoken in Mexico City and across the country. A partnership was established with the Government of Mexico for specialized Nahuatl teachers to teach the language in selected schools. Brugada highlighted that this program will extend to the primary level, thereby creating a new generation that will be able to choose to learn Nahuatl.
Nahuatl classes will be implemented in schools near indigenous towns in the Milpa Alta and Xochimilco boroughs of Mexico City. The subject will not affect the students' final grades, but they will receive an official recognition endorsed by the Ministry of Public Education (SEP).
The secretary of the Secretariat of Indigenous Peoples and Resident Indigenous Communities (SEPI), Nelly Antonia Juárez, stated that this approach aims to strengthen the use of indigenous languages in Mexico City. The program aims to connect authorities, the community, and students to integrate indigenous languages into public spaces and facilitate their use in daily life.
This initiative is part of the celebration of the 700th anniversary of the founding of Mexico Tenochtitlan. Juárez mentioned that actions are being taken from SEPI to ensure interpreters or translators for indigenous people, in order to preserve and transmit the knowledge and wisdom of these communities. If you are a student and are interested in learning an indigenous language, this is an opportunity to participate in this educational project.
