Demographic transition and demand in basic education in Mexico: Elements for a public policy

Abstract

The decrease in the population of primary school age is an irreversible trend that poses important challenges for the authorities, institutions and policies that govern the educational system in Mexico. This fact offers a scenario in which the teachers will foreseeably face groups of less numerous students, facilitating a lightening of the teachers' workloads, as well as a greater interaction of these with their students. Common sense suggests that these two factors can benefit school performance. However, international experiences show that the above does not necessarily occur automatically. The results in this regard suggest that the decrease in the size of the classes must be accompanied by a set of public policy measures that favor the teaching and learning process. The paper seeks to contribute to the debate on class size as a conditioning factor of quality and school performance in Mexico, but above all, provide elements for the design and implementation of a public policy aimed at making the decrease in the number of students per group, an opportunity to improve the quality of education.