Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo announced the creation of the Child Education and Care Centers (CECI), a new model designed to care for early childhoods in the country. During her morning conference known as La Mañanera del Pueblo, Sheinbaum detailed that this program will begin in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, with the opening of 12 centers that will benefit approximately 120 thousand working mothers.
These new spaces seek to rescue and improve the essence of the old daycare centers of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), incorporating a renewed vision that prioritizes education, comprehensive care and safety for children. According to the president, the CECI model is based on five fundamental pillars:
- Quality interactions to promote children’s socioemotional development.
- The figure of an educational mentor, in charge of guiding and supervising pedagogical activities.
- Sensitization and professionalization of care, ensuring trained personnel.
- Prevention and health care model, guaranteeing a healthy environment.
- Balanced and sufficient food, to cover nutritional needs.
Sheinbaum emphasized that this approach not only aims to care for children while their parents work, but also to guarantee their comprehensive development in a safe and educational environment.
IMSS director Zoé Robledo emphasized that this model places children at the center of attention, providing peace of mind to parents knowing that their children are in spaces designed for their well-being and growth. In Ciudad Juarez, where the project will begin, there are more than 120,000 working women and more than 18,000 children under 4 years of age. It is planned that five of the centers will be operated directly by the IMSS, another five by private companies, and two under a mixed IMSS-DIF scheme for the insured and uninsured. All spaces will comply with strict security measures.
During the presentation, Sheinbaum also recalled the tragedy of the ABC daycare center in Hermosillo, Sonora, which occurred in June 2009, during the government of Felipe Calderón. In that fire, 49 children died and several more were injured due to a gas leak. The president criticized the model of subrogation of services implemented during that period, pointing out that it transformed an essential right into a business that did not guarantee the safety of children.
With the CECIs, the government seeks to eliminate the shortcomings of previous models and prioritize the welfare of working families, providing access to educational and childcare services that promote the integral development of new generations.
