Education vulnerability in Mexico cannot be reduced to a data point. Every figure hides a face, a story, a life. Behind the numbers are millions of children and young people whose futures are constrained before they even begin. This is why we must look beyond statistics and confront the human reality that those numbers represent.

Recently, the OECD released a troubling diagnosis: Mexico invests less per student than any other member country; families shoulder nearly double the international average cost; and access to early education is marginal (less than 5% of children aged 0–2 are enrolled, compared to over 60% in Norway or South Korea). Added to this is a structural gap in high school—four out of ten students never complete it—and a striking disconnect between education and work: in Mexico, more schooling does not necessarily translate into better jobs.

These are not abstract figures. They point to a strategic risk for the entire region: less education means greater social, economic, and security vulnerability. Today, 16% of young Mexicans between 18 and 24 neither study nor work. This “invisible generation” becomes fertile ground for irregular migration, precarious informal jobs, or worse, organized crime.

If North America truly aims to consolidate itself as the most competitive and secure region in the world, it must view Mexican education not merely as a domestic issue but as a shared national security priority.

Exchanges and Mobility with Economic Impact

Recent history shows that student and professional mobility programs deliver tangible returns. Young people who participate in academic exchanges or receive professional visas return with higher incomes, greater productivity, and a global perspective that enriches their communities.

For the United States and Canada, attracting Mexican talent through structured visa programs not only fills critical labor shortages but also stimulates regional growth: skilled workers drive innovation, generate tax revenue, and expand consumption.

The challenge lies in scaling and formalizing these mechanisms as a trilateral policy. Only around 14,000 mexican students attend higher education in the USA, while there are almost 20x from India and China. Instead of allowing the lack of opportunity to fuel irregular migration and border tensions, we can channel potential into certified training programs in Mexico that are validated in the U.S. and Canada. A visa can be more than a permit: it can become a shield of shared security and a pathway to legitimate social mobility.

From Education to Security
The link is undeniable: the less we invest in education, the more we expose our region to insecurity. North America cannot afford to widen the gap that leaves millions of young people outside the formal economy. Investing in binational technical training, dual education, and internationally recognized certifications is, at its core, an investment in regional stability and prosperity.

This is not just theory—Mexico itself offers compelling evidence. Between 1992 and 2018, as access to education expanded, national homicide rates fell by nearly 55%, underscoring the direct connection between schooling and public safety.

The real question is not whether we can afford it, but whether we can afford not to. Every dollar we fail to invest in education today multiplies tomorrow into the costs of insecurity, migration, and lost competitiveness.
A Shared Agenda

My proposal is clear:
1. Expand professional visa programs for young Mexicans trained in critical sectors (health, energy, technology), at reasonable costs.
2. Develop joint Mexico–U.S.–Canada training schemes, with certifications recognized across the three countries.
3. Link education investment with regional security, recognizing them as inseparable.

If we keep talking only in numbers, the debate will stay trapped in charts and percentages. But if we speak about people, the urgency becomes clear. This is not just about the opportunities North America risks losing—it is about the people already waiting for us to act.