Mexico Signs Deal To Bring Free Internet To Virtual Schools

Mexico’s Ministry of Education (SEP), SENER, CFE, and the Agency for Digital Transformation and Telecommunications signed an agreement to provide free internet to virtual middle and high schools in all 32 states. The move fulfills commitment No. 88 of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration.

At the signing event, Minister of Education Mario Delgado said the initiative represents an inter-institutional effort to guarantee the right to telecommunications and reduce the digital divide in vulnerable communities. He recalled that virtual middle schools were created to deliver education to remote areas through television and said the new program extends that model with digital infrastructure.

Delgado added that integrating internet access will allow students to participate in global exchanges and build knowledge for their communities. He credited SENER, CFE, and the Digital Transformation Agency for enabling connectivity in underserved regions.

Minister of Energy Luz Elena González said the agreement reflects the link between education and connectivity. She described the program as a step toward reducing inequality, calling internet access “a factor of equality” in today’s education system.

CFE Director General Emilia Calleja stated that the utility’s participation will bring internet to schools in remote areas, giving students access to academic, cultural, and global resources. She said the plan aligns with Sheinbaum’s national project and represents progress toward digital equity.

According to the 2024 National Survey on Availability and Use of Information in Households conducted by INEGI, around 17% of Mexicans aged six and older do not have internet access, a 2% decrease from the previous year. Meanwhile, the number of households with internet access increased to 28.8 million, representing 73.6% of the national total.