The Mexican federal government has announced a 9 percent salary increase for the nation’s teachers, a figure that encompasses both benefits and salary recognition. The announcement was made during Teacher’s Day celebrations held at the headquarters of the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) in Mexico City.
Fiscal Priorities and Social Impact
President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo stated that while she wished the increase could have been double, the current amount reflects a broader effort to distribute public resources to the people of Mexico. She emphasized that the government has made a “great effort” to secure this raise as a sign of permanent gratitude to the teaching corps.
The President detailed the administration’s current spending priorities, noting that nearly one trillion pesos are being allocated to Welfare programs. She credited these programs, alongside increases to the minimum wage, with helping 13.5 million Mexicans escape poverty.
nearly another trillion pesos have been dedicated to infrastructure, including the “La Escuela es Nuestra” program and other major national works. To fund these initiatives, Sheinbaum noted that the government’s operating budget has been reduced by practically an additional 30 percent beyond the reductions made during the term of President López Obrador.
Reversing Long-Term Wage Decline
Mario Delgado, the head of the SEP, described the salary increase as an agreement reached with teachers and an “extraordinary effort” by public finances. He asserted that this move continues a trend of real salary recovery achieved over the last seven or eight years under the “governments of Transformation.”
Delgado argued that this recovery is overcoming a lag accumulated during a “long neoliberal night” lasting more than 35 years, a period during which teachers saw the purchasing power of their salaries diminish annually.
Ongoing Labor Demands
The event was attended by several high-ranking officials, including the Secretary of Interior, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, and the Secretary of Science and Technology, Rosaura Ruiz Gutiérrez. However, the celebration also served as a platform for ongoing labor grievances.
Alfonso Cepeda, leader of the SNTE, expressed gratitude for the fulfilled commitments but called for the disappearance of the Unit for the System of Career of Teachers (Usicam). Cepeda advocated for a new, transparent system for hiring, promotion, and permanence that would recognize seniority and prevent corruption or conflicts of interest.
Further demands included the urgent need to eliminate inequalities between workers in sections A and B of Article 123 of the Constitution, as well as the repeal of the pension regime established under the ISSSTE Law, which Cepeda described as “unjust.”
Future Outlook
The administration’s commitment to the “Nueva Escuela Mexicana”—which emphasizes sovereignty, democracy, and social justice—suggests that educational policy may continue to be used as a tool for national identity building.
Regarding labor relations, the government could face further pressure to address the structural demands raised by the SNTE. Possible next steps may include consultations on the Usicam system or a review of the ISSSTE pension framework, though such changes would likely require significant legislative or administrative shifts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total salary increase for teachers?
The federal government announced a 9 percent increase, which includes both benefits and salary recognition.
How is the government funding these increases and social programs?
President Sheinbaum stated that the government has reduced its operating budget by practically an additional 30 percent compared to the previous administration’s reductions.
What specific changes is the SNTE requesting beyond salary?
The SNTE is calling for the disappearance of Usicam, the elimination of inequalities between sections A and B of Article 123 of the Constitution, and the repeal of the ISSSTE pension regime.
Do you believe that salary increases alone are sufficient to improve the teaching profession, or are structural reforms more urgent?
