Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum used the latest results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) to make the case that public education in Mexico is delivering strong outcomes. PISA, run by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), tests 15-year-olds worldwide every few years in reading, math, and science, and is widely used to compare education systems across countries.
According to Sheinbaum, six schools from Mexico’s public system were among the best-evaluated institutions in the country on the exam, a point she cited as evidence that public schooling can compete with, and even outperform, private alternatives. Her comments come amid a broader political debate in Mexico over the quality and funding of public education, which has long faced criticism over resources, infrastructure, and teacher training compared with private schools.
By pointing to these six standout schools, Sheinbaum appeared to be countering narratives that portray public education as inherently inferior, framing the results as proof that investment in the public system pays off academically. The announcement fits into her administration’s broader messaging around strengthening state-run institutions and social programs.
Curious about which schools made the list and how they achieved these results? Read the full report from La Jornada for more details.
Source: Sheinbaum defiende la educación pública: seis escuelas del sector, las mejor evaluadas en prueba PISA (jornada.com.mx). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: ismael villafranco, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).