Mexico achieves historic low illiteracy rate of 3.8%

Mexico has reached its lowest historical illiteracy rate, dropping from 4.1% to 3.8% during 2025, according to the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP). This reduction is attributed to the National Literacy Strategy for Shared Welfare, implemented through the National Institute for Adult Education (INEA). Officials reported that over 277,000 people learned to read and write in the last year, while hundreds of thousands more completed primary and secondary education.

At the local level, various Mexican municipalities are implementing educational support programs. In Xalapa, Veracruz, the municipal government has distributed teaching materials and computer equipment to local schools and issued literacy certificates to 99 citizens. In Hidalgo, the state government provided uniforms, school supplies, and footwear to students in the Tula-Tepeji region to support school retention. Meanwhile, in Huixquilucan, a local campaign has successfully reduced the illiteracy rate from 1.4% to 0.8%.

However, challenges remain in the educational sector. In Veracruz, the state government is investigating high schools suspected of violating the principle of free education by charging unauthorized fees. Additionally, the National Union of Education Workers (SNTE) reported that at least 20 teachers in the Zongolica mountain region of Veracruz have been victims of extortion and threats, prompting requests for security reassignments.