quire more extensive economic and cultural stimuli to fulfill better their noble

task .

Apart from the conclusions listed above, the study reached seven others : 17

1. The school population in the Federal District has increased so much that
classes are too large for effective teaching.
2. Parents do not cooperate sufficiently .
3. Qualified teachers are scarce and many teachers lack pedagogical skills .
4. Periodic professional refresher courses are scarce .
5. Teachers prefer old systematic routines to modern plans and programs .
6. Fundamental teaching materials are scarce and sometimes completely lacking .
7. Economic problems force many teachers to work in two school plants or to do
other extra work , thus consuming time they need for class preparation and
professional activities .

PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

Elementary

Official reports have identified many problems at the elementary level, in

cluding : ( 1 ) An excess of teachers , ( 2 ) a need to make a better selection of
normal school applicants , and ( 3 ) a need to increase inservice education .
It seems paradoxical to speak of an excess of elementary teachers when
several million school - age children are still not attending school and when
falta de cupo ( lack of space ) is a common complaint widely headlined in
newspapers at the beginning of each school year . As the Eleven - Year Plan
progresses and more children attend school , the teacher excess may be re
duced . Likewise , a reduction in class size , now large, would open up jobs
for more teachers . Such measures , however, would require sharply increased
budgets .
A better selection of normal school applicants and improved instruction
in the normal schools should occur when some of the current experimental
all

practices in the two regional normal schools are applied throughout nor
mal schools the country
in

Most elementary teachers have now had the minimum amount training
of

for certification Nevertheless inservice education for both teachers and

,
.

the elementary level remains concern because they need have

at

supervisors
a
of no

secondary education hardly enough meet the demands

to

more than
—
a

teaching

Secondary

Official reports have also identified many needs

at
of

teacher education
the secondary the following
18

level such
as
,

To extend and decentralize higher normal school facilities

1.

Like other facilities for higher education those for preparing secondary
,
(

are concentrated largely the Federal District The total number

of
in

teachers
.
18 17

Ibid 45
.p
.,

.
de

Secretaría Educación Pública Informe pp 206 314-315

,

,
.

101