Dignified, safe and quality schools: unfinished challenge of Mexico's educational physical infrastructure

Abstract

This article reviews the regulations governing the functions, objectives, actions, goals and financing of the physical infrastructure of education in Mexico from 2008 to the present. The Political Constitution recognizes that educational facilities are an essential space for teaching-learning processes; therefore, each classroom and school must be a learning environment that contributes to certain educational goals such as quality, equity and inclusion, among others. The present documentary research was developed based on the deductive method that was applied in the review of official documents, the derogations and abrogations made to the General Law of Physical Educational Infrastructure, among others, where the construction, equipment, maintenance, rehabilitation, reinforcement, reconstruction and habilitation of buildings and facilities destined to the service of the national educational system and the creation of preventive and compensatory programs are established and regulated. However, data have been found that indicate that the budget granted by the Federal Government for physical infrastructure is neither sufficient nor equitable at the different educational levels. The upper secondary education subsystem is one of the least benefited, consequently, its infrastructure is deficient. A decent, safe and quality school is an unfinished challenge in Mexico's educational physical infrastructure.