SICT, SEP to Invest MX$2.5 Billion in Educational Infrastructure

Mexico's government has announced a joint investment of MX$2.5 billion (US$124.58 million) to develop its national educational infrastructure program, a collaboration between the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transport (SICT) and the Ministry of Public Education (SEP).

Jesús Antonio Esteva, SICT Minister, revealed that MX$1.215 billion (US$60.54 million) will be allocated for the construction of 18 new high school campuses across 12 states. Once completed, the campuses will serve 16,200 students. These projects are being carried out in coordination with the SEP and local state governments. Conceptual designs for the new campuses are currently in progress, with tenders for the construction works expected to be announced within a month, noted Esteva Molina.

The announcement came alongside plans for the conversion of 35 secondary schools into high school campuses, with a total investment of MX$759.5 million (US$37.85 million) This initiative would serve 10,500 students in various states, including Jalisco, Sinaloa, and Yucatan, among others, noted Mario Delgado Carrillo, Minister of Public Education. The conversion aims to address the shift in demographics, where many secondary schools no longer require a second shift, allowing them to be used in the afternoons for the newly constructed high school programs.

Each secondary school undergoing conversion would receive MX$21.7 million (US$1.08 million) for general maintenance, as well as upgrades such as computer labs, administrative spaces, restrooms, multifunctional labs, specialty workshops, and multi-use sports courts with roofing, added Delgado Carrillo.

Additionally, the government will expand 33 existing high school campuses (such as CBTIS, CBETA, and CETMAR) to create 12,000 new spaces across multiple states, including Aguascalientes, Michoacan, Jalisco, and Tamaulipas. These upgrades will require a MX$580 million (US$28.88 million) investment and are expected to be completed within the next five months.

La Escuela Es Nuestra (The School Is Ours) program will extend to higher education institutions, with a social investment of MX$4,600 million (US$$229.43 million). The program is set to benefit 6,200 schools and 1.8 million students in 2025.

The government’s long-term plan includes a comprehensive intervention in secondary and higher education schools three times throughout the current administration, with additional investments expected in 2027 and 2029.