Mexico - School System

There is a public and a private system in Mexico, both regulated by the government institutions SEP (Secretaria de Educacion Publica) or UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico).
The basic curriculum required by SEP and UNAM are very complete and competitive in their content, compared to that of many countries.

You will find top private schools in Mexico City, covering a wide variety of educational systems, religious beliefs and international curricula. There are also top-notch universities recognized all over the world both by important educational insitutions and multinational companies.
By law, Elementary thru Preparatory schools must comply with the National Curriculum dictated by the Mexican government, and they usually enrich this basic curriculum according to their mission, vision, system, and/or philosophy.

Usually, schooling works as follows in Mexico after Kindergarten:

Primary or Elementary school: grades 1st thru 6th
Secondary school: 1st thru 3rd grades
Preparatory school: 1st thru 3rd grades.
Sometimes, Secondary and Preparatory are grouped and called "Bachillerato" together, and therefore, considered from 1st to 6th grade.

After finishing Preparatory of Bachillerato, students may attend university or a technical school. University degrees are far more appreciated by employers than technical degrees. A Preparatory or Bachillerato education is not enough to get a professional job in this country, and bilingual professionals are far more preferred over monolingual ones.