The Mexican Ministry of Public Education (SEP) has established a new framework for upper secondary education, aiming to standardize curricula across nearly 18,000 schools nationwide and facilitate student mobility within the National Baccalaureate System. The Marco Curricular Común de la Educación Media Superior (MCCEMS) seeks to provide students with transferable knowledge, skills, and experiences relevant to both higher education and the labor market.

Mario Delgado, Minister of Public Education, says that the MCCEMS intends to form critically engaged citizens capable of interacting with their communities following human rights principles. “Now students will be able to transfer schools easily, and upon graduation, they will receive both a national high school certificate and a technical certification accredited by higher education institutions,” says Delgado.

The framework stems from a nationwide diagnostic study that collected input from educators, administrators, and communities across all 32 states. It is part of the broader National Baccalaureate System under the Nueva Escuela Mexicana initiative, a nationwide education reform led by President Claudia Sheinbaum. The MCCEMS integrates fundamental academic knowledge with a humanistic and scientific perspective, promotes gender equality, and emphasizes community engagement.

The MCCEMS distinguishes between a fundamental curriculum, covering subjects such as language, mathematics, natural and social sciences, history, philosophy, digital culture, and English, and an expanded curriculum, designed to enhance student retention and foster healthy, inclusive, and democratic learning environments. The reform also updates over 200 technical programs, introducing 15 new disciplines such as robotics, AI, digital animation, semiconductors, and automation. 

During the 2024–2025 academic year, over 78,000 students graduated from the National College of Professional Technical Education (CONALEP), including 7,000 who participated in the dual education model combining classroom instruction with workplace training, reports MBN. Delgado says that graduates now have access to employment opportunities through a job bank of over  2,000 companies and may continue their studies in higher education. CONALEP has also issued official digital certificates with QR codes and electronic validation to streamline verification processes.

The SEP is coordinating the implementation of the MCCEMS over the next 225 business days, ensuring that curricula across all upper secondary schools, including dual education programs, reflect the new standards.

In parallel, legislators are proposing reforms to the General Education Law to integrate ethical and social values into the national curriculum. Deputy Raymundo Vázquez introduced a measure to include principles such as respect, honesty, tolerance, perseverance, and solidarity in all state-provided education programs, highlighting the importance of forming responsible and socially engaged citizens alongside academic knowledge.



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