Some Mexican Culture and the Mexican School System

Major Mexican Holidays during or close to the time that I will be in Mexico:

• January 6th-7th: Día de los Santos Reyes:  This is the final day of the Christmas celebration in which Mexicans exchange gifts to recognize the day that the 3 wise men arrived in Bethlehem.  Families eat bread with a toy baby hidden in it.  Whoever gets the baby in their piece, but provide the feast for Candlemas. 
• February 2nd: Día de la Calendaria (Candlemas): This is the "Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin" or the "Presentation of the Lord."  It falls 40 days after Christmas, the day on which Jesus was taken to the Temple to be presented according to Jewish law.  It is a religious holiday on which Mexicans celebrate with processions, dancing, bull fights, and a blessing of seeds and candles at churches.
• February 5th: Día de la Constitución: The Constitution of Mexico was signed on this day in 1917.
• February 14th: Día del Amor y La Amista (Valentine's Day)
  
• February 19th-24th (in 2009): Carnaval:  This is a 5 day celebration beofre the beginning of Lent.  It includes parades, floats, and dancing in the streets.
• February 24th: Flag Day: A day to celebrate the Mexican flag
• March 21st: El cumpleaños de Beinto Juarez: This is the birthday of the first indigenous president of Mexico.

Primary Values in Culture of Mexico

• Family
• Religion: 90% of Mexico is Roman Catholic, 6% is Protestant, and 4% is Other

Overview of Mexico's Educational System

• Calendar Year: September - June 30th with vacations in December and April
• Types of Schools: Federal, State, Municipal, and Private
• Size: 25 million students and 170,000 schools
• Administration & Finance:   Schools are under jurisdiction of the federal, state, or municipal govt. or a private institution based on their funding.  The SEP (Secretaría de Educación Pública or Ministry of Education) regulates formal education in Mexico.
• Cumpulsory Education: 9 years (ages 6-14)
• School structures:   Primary Education (Grades 1-6), Lower Secondary Education (Grades 7-8), and Upper Secondary Education (Grades 10-12).
• Elementary Education: No Standardized Exams; Students receive a Ceritificate of Education at the end; Entrance Exam is required for some secondary schools
• There are over 500 preparatory programs offered, and they are not standardized.

Details about School Structure

• Elementary Education (Grades 1-2): 720 hours of school in a year with 60 for Spanish, 240 for Math, and 120 total for Natural Science, History, Geography, and Civics.
• Elementary Education (Grades 3-6): 800 hour of school in a year with 240 for Spanish, 200 for Math, 120 for Natural Sciences, 60 each for History and Geography, and 40 each for Civics, Art Education, and Physical Education.
• Lower Secondary Ed (Grades 7-9): General Education Courses; Students may need an entrance exam at the end to go to some upper secondary schools
• Upper Secondary Education (Grades 10-12):  There are 3 Types of schools:     1.  Propadéutica: Offers academic programs: Leads to higher education     2.  Bivalente: Offers both academic and vocational training: May lead to higher education                                         3.  Terminal:  Offers vocational training: Does not lead to higher education