The Educational Status of Rural Children in Mexico

Abstract

Despite improvements in the coverage of the education system, a large proportion of rural children either fail to attend school, fall behind, or leave school without having completed the elementary education cycle. This article seeks to examine the educational status of children ages 6 to 16 in severely marginalized areas in the country and to identify the factors in their homes that contribute to the former. The analysis detected a school entrance age problem, which reflects the backwardness of a significant number of children, particularly girls, living in extreme poverty. Data on school attendance also revealed a phenomenon of mass desertion at an early age which affects these same groups. The article identifies some of the characteristics of children and their homes as factors linked to school attendance.