President of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo warned that school dropout in the country is a result of structural problems that must be addressed comprehensively. She noted that thousands of young people interrupt their studies before or during high school, which increases their social vulnerability.
At a public event in the municipality of El Marqués, Querétaro, the head of state explained that before her government began, a national survey was conducted to identify the reasons why middle school students do not continue on to high school or drop out after enrolling. The exercise included the opinions of parents, mothers, and students.
Sheinbaum detailed that the first detected reason is economic, as many families do not have the necessary resources to cover the expenses associated with education. She previously highlighted that her administration promotes school support programs to ensure that the economic factor is not a barrier to continuing one's education.
The second reason, she explained, is related to the distance of educational institutions, especially in rural communities, where travel can involve several hours a day and high transportation costs, as well as safety concerns for families, particularly in the afternoon shift.
As a third cause, the president pointed to the lack of identification of young people with the school, as they do not feel part of an educational community or perceive a disconnect between middle school and high school. She indicated that this situation leads to demotivation and early dropout from the education system.
In the face of this panorama, Sheinbaum emphasized that her government is promoting the construction of new high schools and the expansion of existing campuses, with the goal of bringing education closer to homes and generating up to 150,000 new spaces in high school by the end of the six-year term. A strategy that, she said, seeks to address a real and urgent need in the country.
