Many foreigners have a positive impression of the private education system in Mexico. I have written about it several times, and we even did an entire season of our Confidently Wrong podcast on what it is like for foreign kids to go to school in Mexico. We interviewed kids, parents, teachers, and administrators about what they have experienced and what they would recommend to families considering making the move.

In this new episode of Confidently Wrong, we focus on the public education system in Mexico. Several weeks ago, the international standardized testing results of PISA were released for 15-year-olds across the globe. The results were troubling in most countries, but especially bad in Mexico, which saw its results continue to deteriorate across the board. I reviewed the disastrous results in a recent article here: Mexico fails the 2025 PISA evaluation: A perspective from our CEO.

The test results show that nearly half of Mexican 15-year-olds cannot read at the most basic level. This means that they cannot even read at a level that permits them to learn. Imagine what awaits these kids in an economy that increasingly requires knowledge of AI and robotics for what used to be entry-level manufacturing jobs.

Mexico News Daily recently wrote a deep-dive report into the Mexican public education system. We looked at key metrics across the educational spectrum, and looked at the country’s progress (or lack of) in each. You can check it out here: The MND Mexico Well-being Series, Part 2: Education.

Tune into this week’s episode of Confidently Wrong as we break down the problems and implications of the public education system in Mexico.

Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.