Why give Scholarships? The Gringos’ Guide to Mexi can Education
Tara A. Spears
What’s the deal? Most international people get tired of being asked to donate for Mexican education. As an educator who was hired to teach at a Mexican university, I was shocked at the differences in educational systems. I was told by co-workers that were professors, that the government only provided free education to grade 6! That means if a student wants to go to high school they and their parents have to foot the bill. I went onto the Mexican government official website to discover that the government inflated the literacy rate to be higher than the USA or Canada-hmmm. Yet other reputable sources list these powerful statistics: (translated from Spanish sources.)
“Most young Mexican children attend primary school but only 62 percent reach secondary school. At secondary level about half of students drop out and only a quarter reach higher education, according to non-governmental organization Mexicanos Primero (Mexicans First), which is pushing for reform of the system. Due to lack of availability and cost, Mexicans read less than three books a year on average. This fact is compounded by the prevalence of low education levels and poverty, studies show.” 
My experience over the last 20 years living in this country is that the reality is very different than the government’s posted numbers. Why was there no written driver’s test until recently? It’s because only 40% of the Mexican population can’t read.
After retiring and moving to rural Jaltemba Bay, even more surprises: the majority of the school lacked bathrooms or ceiling fans in the classrooms. I was told by local educators that “the government gave the land and provided only the roof and walls- that the parents had to supply the rest.” Some schools only had cement floors. God bless all the international folks that stepped up to help! (and continue to do so.) Installing shade/rain covers is a must since school is in session during the rainy season. Now thanks to the generosity and hard work of many people, area schools have decent infrastructure. Students can learn!
In Mexico, compulsory Basic Education is currently made up of the Preschool, Primary and Secondary levels BUT there is no enforcement of attendance. The levels are: PRESCHOOL EDUCATION: It serves the children population from 3 to 6 years of age; PRIMARY EDUCATION: Structured into three cycles that include 1st thru 6th grades for ages 6-12.
SECONDARY EDUCATION is composed of three school levels: Secondaria ages 12-15 attend grades 7-9. NOTB this is termed Junior High level. At this stage the education of the students is carried out by a collegiate of teachers in charge of a specific subject of the curriculum. Next comes Higher Middle Education/ Preparatoria. This educational level is provided to students between 15 and 18 years of age and encompases grades 10-12. It is also a requirement to enter higher level studies at university. Within this level (high school) students can take a vocational or academic curriculum. Locally it is Conalep for the trades and Preparatoria for academic. Both charge tuition and are not free to students.
Once again, as international visitors and seasonal residents became aware of the need for students to pay for high school, various non-profit groups stepped up to help. With the availability of funding, the door to dreaming of having a career was opened. The hard working parents encouraged their children to study hard and sacrificed in order for them to attend high school. 
The La Penita RV Park started providing men’s university in memory of longtime park resident and retired educator, Fran Milsky. Over time the fund was renamed the RV Park Educational Scholarships. Their only revenue comes from the Sunday night hamburger sales.
It’s a pleasure for me to meet these wonderful local guys- they are nervous teens when they first come for the interview. As they progress in their studies, they blossom into mature, talented young men! I am thrilled to report that the majority of RV Park scholarship students accept jobs back in their hometown after graduating- enriching the community with their knowledge. It’s exciting that now young men dream beyond the fishing village because of the RV Park scholarship! It is amazing how much impact this grass roots group headed by the hard working Carole Thacker has accomplished! The graduation rate says it all: SUCCESS!
Yes, we need you to dig in your pockets to continue. The current cost for a semester’s tuition at state university (not private) is $1,850 a semester or $3700 an academic year. (Less than $260 Canadian) Please come Sunday February 23 at 5:00 pm to support this worthy cause. There are new applicants and a current student roster of 12 at university.
Have a burger and beer- you’ll be the wind beneath their wings!