Mexico's President to Lead School Reading Sessions, Celebrates Anti-Fentanyl Campaign Impact

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced plans to visit schools to read with students, a new initiative aimed at fostering literacy and addressing the emotional well-being of young people. This program, initially conceived for third-year secondary and upper secondary education, will now be expanded. She emphasized that public officials will also participate in these reading sessions, which are scheduled for Mondays or at least once a month.

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The idea is that, like all state and federal governments, we are proposing that one day a week, on Mondays, there be a space where teachers can talk with their students, particularly in third year of secondary and upper secondary, about what we call the ABC of Emotions.

During her press conference, Sheinbaum celebrated the considerable impact of the campaign against fentanyl consumption. She noted that the success of this initiative has paved the way for a similar campaign targeting crystal meth and methamphetamine use. However, the focus extends beyond just combating addictions; the broader goal is to foster positive emotional connections among young people and within their families.

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I am going to go to read on Mondays, perhaps not all, but at least once a month to be able to go and share reading with girls, boys, young people.

Sheinbaum herself plans to participate in these reading sessions, aiming to share the joy of reading with children and adolescents. She believes these activities are crucial for guiding young people, particularly concerning the impacts of excessive use of digital platforms and the benefits of reading. The initiative is part of a larger effort to integrate emotional health education into the curriculum, starting with the "ABC of Emotions."

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It was very, very important the campaign that was done against fentanyl consumption, very, very relevant. It had a lot of impact, now this campaign also goes to the use of crystal or methamphetamine, but we don't only want it to be against addictions, but that it really be an intervention of all of us for the affective bonds between young people and the family.

Mario Delgado, head of the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP), echoed the president's sentiment, stressing the importance of promoting reading among children. He views reading as a vital tool for balancing the excessive use of screens, enhancing concentration, and fostering attention. The Fondo de Cultura Económica is supporting this effort by distributing books to schools, further bolstering the initiative to encourage a culture of reading.

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We are going to promote reading more in children, girls, which is also a way, let's say, to balance this excessive use of screens to achieve concentration, attention in reading books.