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Mexico Sets 2026 Goal to Earn UNESCO ‘White Flag’ on Literacy

A nationwide scholarship expansion to all primary students anchors the plan.

Overview

  • Education Secretary Mario Delgado told the Senate the government aims to reduce adult illiteracy to under 4% in 2026, the threshold for declaring the country free of illiteracy.
  • The Beca Rita Cetina will expand next year to every primary pupil, with officials projecting more than 20 million beneficiaries after reporting 13.3 million students on federal scholarships today.
  • SEP reported that 97% of applicants secured their preferred upper-secondary placement through COMIPEMS, excluding admissions handled separately by UNAM and IPN.
  • Officials cited an internal survey indicating 86% of schools no longer sell junk food or sugary drinks, alongside plans for IMSS nurse brigades to carry out weight, height, dental and vision checks in public primary schools.
  • The ministry pledged full reconstruction of schools damaged by storms, noted a recent 10% teacher pay raise, and said it is pursuing pension and promotion reforms with the teaching workforce.