CALDERON AND GORDILLO COOPERATE ON EDUCATION REFORM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MEXICO 001540 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR A/S SHANNON STATE FOR WHA/MEX, WHA/EPSC, EB/IFD/OMA, AND DRL/AWH STATE FOR EB/ESC MCMANUS AND IZZO USDOC FOR 4320/ITA/MAC/WH/ONAFTA/GERI WORD USDOC FOR ITS/TD/ENERGY DIVISION TREASURY FOR IA (ALICE FAIBISHENKO) DOE FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS KDEUTSCH, ALOCKWOOD, GWARD NSC FOR RICHARD MILES, DAN FISK STATE PASS TO USTR (EISSENSTAT/MELLE) STATE PASS TO FEDERAL RESERVE (ANDREA RAFFO) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ELAB EFIN EAGR PINR PGOV MX SUBJECT: CALDERON AND GORDILLO COOPERATE ON EDUCATION REFORM Summary and Introduction -------------- ¶1. (SBU) On May 15, Teacher's Day in Mexico, President Calderon unveiled the "Alliance for Quality Education" aimed at improving education quality, school infrastructure and teachers' skills based on five pillars: modernization of schools, renewal of teachers' selection and promotion processes, implementation of scholarships and nutritional programs, curriculum reform, and improvement of the national education system for teachers and students. The Alliance is part of Calderon's social strategy "Vivir Mejor" (Live Better) and represents the government's effort to develop a long-term education policy that goes beyond the current Administration and political interests. The Alliance combines social commitments made by the federal government, the local governments, and the teachers' union to improve education. The question remains whether these commitments will translate into tangible improvements in Mexico's educational system. Real Reform or Political Alliance? -------------- ¶2. (U) Before governors, deans, cabinet members, teachers and legislators gathered at the National Palace, President Calderon, accompanied by Education Secretary Josefina Vazquez, Interior Secretary Juan Camilo Mourino, and the President of the Teachers' Union, Elba Esther Gordillo presented the "Alliance for Quality Education." Calderon explained that existing educational problems were the result of a demographic explosion, in particular the increase in school-aged children, which had generated severe coverage problems. Although the government has made significant efforts to meet this group's needs, it needed to take steps to improve the quality of education so Mexicans would be able to compete successfully in a more demanding global economy. Calderon remarked that after several discussions with the teachers' union since the first day of his Administration, the union and the government forged an agreement to work together to improve Mexican education. ¶3. (U) A year ago, also on Teacher's Day, Calderon called for the union's support in approving an education reform that would tackle Mexico's educational system and improve teachers' skills. A year later, both actors finally reached an agreement to sign an "alliance," not a "reform" to improve the country's educational standards. Calderon revealed a general education agenda based on five pillars, which focus mainly on improving schools' infrastructure and teachers' skills and knowledge. This alliance represents a "social commitment" by the federal government, local governments, the society and the union as opposed to a binding legal obligation. Five Pillars of the Calderon-Gordillo Alliance -------------- - ¶4. (U) President Calderon said he was glad to see that the five challenges for improving the educational system discussed by the government and the union a year ago were now a firm social commitment. According to the government, this agenda includes the parents', the teachers', local authorities', academics', researchers' and the private sector's proposals. (Note: local press has run articles by academics and associations complaining about not being included in the discussion. End note). --Modernization of schools, through the improvement of infrastructure and technology, including potable water, drainage, furniture, electricity, and depending on available budget, computers in rural and urban schools. The government MEXICO 00001540 002 OF 002 will give priority to 30,000 schools with the worst performance. --Renewal of the teachers' selection and promotion process and incentives program. Teachers will be now hired or promoted based on the results obtained in public national competition and on professional merits. The first public contests will be conducted before the new school cycle begins in August. The government will also grant an annual economic incentive to those teachers who achieve an improvement in the educational performance of their students. The government will also certify teachers once they fulfill all the requirements of the Superior Educational System (education requirements for Mexican teachers). Teachers will be certified in three fields: technology, English, and teaching skills. --Implementation of a scholarship program to discourage children from quitting school due to the lack of economic resources. This program will be accompanied by others to help children improve their HEALTH and nutritional levels. The program "Safe School" will be expanded to 37,000 schools to prevent and stop drug addiction and delinquency. --Curriculum reform for elementary and junior high schools to increase Mexican students' opportunities to compete in equal conditions with other countries for the best jobs worldwide. --Improvement of the education evaluation system. The government will improve the testing system and implement a new National Education Evaluation System to measure the students', teachers' and government's performance. Comment -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Calderon's announcement that the government and the union had reached an agreement on the steps to be taken to overcome the country's educational failings inspires hope, but it remains to be seen if these commitments translate into any tangible improvements in the educational system. It is worth noting, that this is the third pact that the leader of Mexico's education union Gordillo has signed with a Mexican President, the first being in 1993 and the second in 2002. It is also unclear whether the government will be able to implement an independent and transparent system to evaluate teachers and compensate them according to their skills and performance, and most importantly if the union will be willing to cede some of its control and include the poorer teachers in the south of Mexico in the incentive and training programs. The proposal is still very general and lacks timeframes, which makes it difficult to follow up and measure performance. Hopefully, the alliance opens a window, if even a small one, to impro ve education, an important tool to alleviate poverty in Mexico, and it is not used by the union cynically as another means to reap economic and political benefits of Mexico's poorly managed education system. End comment. Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity and the North American Partnership Blog at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / GARZA