This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-21582629

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Mexico's Pena Nieto enacts major education reform Mexico's Pena Nieto enacts major education reform
(about 2 hours later)
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has passed into law a major shake-up of the education system. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has enacted a major reform of the education system that includes new standards for hiring teachers.
For the first time Mexico will have an independent body to oversee teaching and the curriculum, and teachers and schools will now be assessed. Under the changes, a census is to establish the exact number of schools, teachers and pupils in the country.
The move comes amid a nationwide teacher's strike. The main union fears it could lead to massive lay-offs. The reforms appear set to weaken the powerful teachers' union, led by Elba Esther Gordillo, which has largely controlled access to the profession.
Others fear the changes could signal the start of the privatisation of education in Mexico. The union has argued that reforms could lead to massive lay-offs.
But Mr Pena Nieto said the reform was meant to maintain the free and secular nature of education. Critics also say the changes could signal the start of the privatisation of education in Mexico.
Teacher 'census' But Mr Pena Nieto said the reform would maintain the free and secular nature of education.
The reforms were agreed by the major political parties and approved at the start of the month. "Professional merit must be the only way to be hired, and remain and advance as a teacher," Mr Pena Nieto said after signing the law.
The law gives more powers and independence to the National Education Institute in an attempt to unify many different curricula and approaches. Success should not be subject to "discretional criteria," he said.
It also foresees a centralised admission process for teachers, and makes provision for a census to find out the number of schools and teachers in Mexico. The law foresees a centralised process for hiring, evaluating, promoting and retaining teachers.
Correspondents say the main teaching union has previously controlled access to the profession, with jobs even being inherited or traded. Until now, the National Union of Education Workers (SNTE) has held sway over the criteria for being appointed and retained, a practice that has led to posts being inherited or sold.
The education system is believed to have thousands of phantom teachers on its books.
Job security
Ms Gordillo, who has led the SNTE for the past 23 years, and who was elected unopposed to another six-year term in October, was not present at Monday's signing ceremony.
"We are with the president in his efforts to modernise," Ms Gordillo said recently.
But she has also said that her union, which has some 1.5 million members, is ready to fight any attack on teachers' job security.
Ms Gordillo has rejected moves to link a teacher's continued employment to an evaluation.
Education reform was agreed by the major political parties, and approved by Congress and the majority of the legislatures in Mexico's states.
A key goal is to improve the educational achievements of Mexican pupils.
Mexico has one of the highest rates of pre-primary school enrolment among OECD countries, but only under half of students complete secondary education, according to an OECD report in 2012.