Tamaulipas becomes Mexico’s first bilingual state

The Mexican government recently rolled out a program designed to teach English to schoolchildren around the country. The inspiration for such an ambitious plan can be tracked to the northern border state of Tamaulipas.

Over the past seven years, state officials have gradually implemented the teaching of English in schools. While English is mandatory in all Mexican schools from seventh through ninth grade, authorities in Tamaulipas have expanded their language program so that all public school children will be taught conversational English. Thus, officials in Tamaulipas have declared the state as Mexico’s first bilingual state.

The bilingual efforts in Tamaulipas has even caught the attention of north of the border. Could the neighboring U.S state of Texas follow Tamaulipas’ example?

(U.S. ambassador Tony) Garza, who plans to split his time between Dallas and Mexico City, later said he was impressed with the program and suggested a similar effort in Texas to teach students not just Spanish, but English, too. Garza said Texas is home to an estimated 800,000 children with limited English proficiency. They come not just from Mexico but also from places like South Korea, Vietnam and the Middle East.

"I think the focus in our state needs to be on giving Texas schoolchildren what they need to compete, and that's English," he said. "And then allow for a robust program in languages that provides English speakers the opportunity to learn a second language, and my guess is for many that would be Spanish."

Image- Maps of Mexico
Online Sources- Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, Milenio