Public schools in the state of Jalisco will become the first in Mexico to require technology and music education, according to an announcement on Friday by Governor Pab lo Lemus.
As part of a new multi-year program called “Jalisco con Estrella” (Star Jalisco), the state government seeks to achieve two priorities: the comprehensive rehabilitation and modernization of more than 7,000 public schools, as well as making it mandatory for all levels to be equipped with technology and music classrooms.
“All … 7,200 preschools, primary and secondary schools, will have a music classroom. Not only will they have computers, but they will also have musical instruments,” Governor Lemus said during a ceremony in which he distributed guitars, cellos and other instruments to students of secondary public school 56 Juana de Asbaje in the capital of Guadalajara.
During the event, the secondary school’s String Orchestra and School Mariachi performed classic songs including “Cielito Lindo” and “Guadalajara, Guadalajara.”
According to Jalisco Education Minister Juan Carlos Flores Miramontes, the Jalisco government has provided 266 schools in 71 municipalities with musical instruments.
During his presentation at the event, Miramontes shared that this year, he hopes for “10 new orchestras” in “every corner of Jalisco.” The “Jalisco con Estrella” program will have an initial budget of 5 billion pesos (US $245 million) and school renovations are expected to be completed before the end of 2027.
Las nuevas generaciones 👧 🧒están familiarizadas con la tecnología, y en Jalisco queremos unirla con la educación 📚, en beneficio del aprendizaje; bajo esta lógica entregamos 42 kits Lego Robotix 🤖, para impulsar el desarrollo en habilidades STEAM (Ciencia, Tecnología,… pic.twitter.com/djii0HhgAs
— Pablo Lemus Navarro (@PabloLemusN) January 29, 2025
In January, Lemus led the symbolic delivery of LEGO RobotiX kits to enhance students’ STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) abilities. This year, the local government handed out 42 LEGO RobotiX Kits to Jalisco schools, designed according to each educational level.
Fundación RobotiX, which organizes the global competition FIRST LEGO League in Mexico, provides robotics materials, training and strategic guidance to teachers and school administrators nationwide.
“If we compare ourselves with other states in Mexico, we are many steps ahead to be able to guarantee a much more promising future for our girls and boys,” Lemus said. “The educational system of Jalisco will be an example at the national level.”
Lemus added that these actions and other educational programs developed by Jalisco’s education minister are evolving to adapt to current times and meet contemporary teaching methods for children.
According to a press release, the general director of Grupo RobotiX, Roberto Saint Martin, said that 1,600 schools throughout Mexico receive education and materials from RobotiX and that the goal is to add 85 more participating schools in Jalisco in the next few years.
With reports from El Informador, Quadratín and El Occidental
