President Claudia Sheinbaum presented an ambitious expansion of the scholarship program for high school students, which will become the first step towards universal coverage in basic education. This new initiative seeks to support more than 21.4 million students throughout her administration, with a special focus on families with more than one school-age child.
Start in 2025 with 5.6 million beneficiaries
The Secretary of Education, Mario Delgado, was in charge of explaining the details of this new program, which will begin in 2025. “There will be 5.6 million beneficiaries with a scholarship,” he said, highlighting the increase compared to the 1.1 million students who currently receive support.
The base amount of the scholarship will be 1,900 pesos per family in poverty, and an additional 700 pesos will be granted for each extra child in basic education, which will benefit families with several children.
Additional support for each child
Sheinbaum explained that this scholarship scheme is designed to adapt to the needs of families.
“We are going to give an additional amount to the family for each additional child they have: 1,900 base. If they have two children, 1,900 plus 700; if they have three children, 1,900 plus 1,400,” she said.
This change represents an evolution with respect to previous scholarships, such as the Benito Juárez Scholarship, which provided a fixed amount per family, regardless of the number of school-aged children. Now, the scheme reflects the additional expenses faced by families with several children.
You may also be interested in: Claudia Sheinbaum sends Reform Package to the Senate: Eliminates wage gap and expands rights for women
Informative assemblies and requirements
The process to access this scholarship will take place from October 14 to January 17, and will include informative assemblies in all public secondary schools in the country. During these meetings, parents and teachers will receive information on how the new program will work.
The requirements to access the scholarship include:
Being a high school student
Birth certificate and CURP
Proof of studies and address
Official identification of parents or guardians
The scholarship will be named after Rita Cetina Gutiérrez, in honor of a teacher and defender of women’s education in the 19th century.
A commitment to education
With this new scholarship, the Sheinbaum administration seeks to continue its commitment to education and the well-being of Mexican families.
“The goal is for all basic education students to have access to a scholarship,” said Mario Delgado, noting that this project will be implemented gradually to achieve full coverage in basic education.
Key scholarship details
Scholarship name: Rita Cetina Gutiérrez
Start date: January 2025
Initial beneficiaries: 5.6 million high school students
Base amount: 1,900 pesos per family
Additional amount: 700 pesos for each extra child in basic education
For example:
Family with 2 children: $1,900 + $700 = $2,600 pesos
Family with 3 children: $1,900 + $1,400 = $3,300 pesos
Source: elimparcial
