Ley General de Educación
The Ley General de Educación (General Education Law), reformed in 2019, establishes the framework for the national education system in Mexico. The law defines education as a right of all persons and a duty of the state, establishes the principles of secular, free, and compulsory education, and governs the organization and administration of public education at the federal and state levels. The 2019 reform introduced changes to teacher evaluation, curriculum standards, and educational autonomy for indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities.
Legal area: Education law governs the organization, funding, and delivery of public and private education systems.
Year enacted: 2019
Full text: https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/htm/ley_general_educacion.htm
Key Provisions
- Art. 2: Education as a right of all persons and duty of the state
- Art. 3: Principles of education (secular, free, compulsory, democratic)
- Art. 13-15: Education levels (basic, secondary, higher education)
- Art. 54-58: National Council for Educational Development (CONAFE)
- Art. 59-62: Teacher evaluation and professional development
- Art. 76-78: Educational technology and distance education
- Art. 80-82: Rights of indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities to education
Significance
The Education Law is central to Mexico’s constitutional commitment to universal education. The 2019 reform was controversial, particularly regarding the elimination of the independent teacher evaluation system. The law addresses critical educational challenges including access for indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities, educational quality, and the integration of technology in the classroom. Education is one of the largest areas of federal and state spending in Mexico.