User:Mplizasoain

Employment, Education and Pollution in Mexico

Mexico’s North American neighbors, Canada and the United States, by far surpass the poor country in all aspects of economic growth, education, and pollution issues. Although, Mexico has designed many reforms in the past years to improve its economic, educational, and environmental state; the country is still struggling when measured up against its wealthy NAFTA partners and fellow countries belonging to the OECD. The OECD (Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development) is an international organization that consists of developed countries that support a free market economy and representative democratic government. The country became part of the OECD in 1994. Mexico is the poorest member of the OECD. The OECD argues that Mexico’s government has failed to invest in the oil boom, improving its education system, and boosting the country’s productivity. Like the OECD, the former leader, President Vicente Fox strongly promoted foreign investment. Foreign investment is the only known reliable source of economic growth. Unfortunately, foreign investment fell during the first half of 2005. In 2004 the amount of money that Mexico acquired through foreign investment was a little below $10.29 billion. By the first half of 2005 direct foreign investment had dropped to a shocking $7.46 billion. The billions that Mexico has lost in foreign investment since 2004 are making economic growth an almost impossible task.

As a country dominated by machismo and increasing unemployment levels the women are the ones suffering the most. For the most part, Mexican women are the ones that are filling the spots in the lowest paying jobs. The companies that provide the most menial jobs to women are usually the most vulnerable to foreign competition. Textile and toy companies are the most common employers of Mexican women. In August 2005 it was reported that female unemployment was the highest since President Vicente Fox took office in December 2000. According to a poll taken by the OECD the amount of women looking for jobs had gone from 4% to 5.88% since President Fox had been elected. Women are the first to be laid off when the economy slows down since they are not considered to be the traditional bread-winners of the family. And the factories that employ them are the ones which are usually crushed by foreign competitors.

Mexico City is widely known for its high pollution rates. On June 21, 2004 the Diesel Retrofit Project was announced. The goal of the project was to reduce pollutants that infest the capital by 90%. The main idea of the project is to enable Mexico City’s population to live longer and healthier lives. The Diesel Retrofit Project is working with the combination of low sulfur fuels and compressed natural gas to protect the environment and improve air quality. A large chunk of the environmental reform includes the testing of emissions of new busses. Busses are one of the main contributors to Mexico City’s pollution issues. Mexico’s capital is globally known as one of the most polluted cities in the world. According to the World Health Organization, Mexico City’s ozone levels exceed the set ecological standards 300 days a year. The Diesel Retrofit Project is a step in the right direction to improve the capital’s air quality.

Mexico’s educational reforms are not helping its people attain a higher education. In 2005, it was estimated by the OECD that only 20% of Mexicans between the ages of 25 and 34 finish our equivalent of high school. Even though the government provides public education for everyone, students still need to pay for school uniforms and supplies. Many families are in such a financial struggle to make ends meet that their children cannot go to school since they cannot afford the extra pesos that are needed in order to get their kids ready to attend school. The country’s emphasis on pre-school education has not seemed to increase the amount of students attaining a secondary education. The OECD insists that rather than spending government money on pre-school education, Mexico should focus more on secondary education. Mexico’s lack of funding in public education only enhances its poor economy and fogs the hopes that parents hold of a brighter future for their children.

Mexico is a country in crisis. The current problems that it is dealing with today are too many to handle in a short period of time. Its economic drawbacks are preventing Mexico from achieving the radical changes that its people so desperately need. I was fortunate enough to interact and learn from the people of the impoverished outskirts of Monterrey, Mexico during spring break. Participating on Spring Serve made me realize that we have become immune to the news that television shoots out at us on regular basis and we need to realize that people are suffering. Job opportunities are scarce and families are struggling to bring food to the table. The public education system that the government provides is not enough; the children that are fortunate enough to be enrolled in the public school system only attend school for three hours a day. Furthermore, from my stay in Monterrey I can say that recycling facilities are not easily accessible. Most of Mexico’s troubles that are reported by the media are clearly visible as soon as one steps out of the lavish tourist resorts. Works Cited

Barclay, Eliza. "Mexico City Cuts Pollution as Border Lags." United Press International 22 June 2006. Lexis Nexis.

"Mexico City Air Pollution is Studied." United Press International 2 Mar. 2006. Lexis Nexis.

"Mexico's Foreign Investment Falls During First Half of 2005." Associated Press Worldstream 19. Aug. 2005.

"Mexico & the OECD: Lagging Behind." Intelligence Research Ltd 18 Oct. 2005.