Mainstreaming and commodification of education in Mexico from two cases

Abstract

In this paper we problematize the issue of the privatization of education. We propose that, unlike other socially relevant topics such as values, ethics or gender equality, the commercialization of educational services has been transversal, becasuse commodification has transcended areas, levels and educational modalities. We argue that as a paradox, because unlike other socially desirable issues, the idea of mainstreaming in the privatization field has been concretized, either as an unwanted effect or as initiatives’results that have been promoted in mexican education. Under this purpose, we initially present some social and demographic indicators as a reference framework for the discussion of how privatization has been mainstreamed, and in parallel we show characteristics of the National Educational System (SEN); then, based on the privatization modalities, concealed and visible, we present two cases as evidence, and his results that mainly affect to sectors of poor population; finally, we propose some conclusions as a discussion agenda.