| In 1940 the official census registered about 7,161, 109 illiterates; data which the government utilized to proclaim on August 21, 1944, an emergency law that established the National Campaign against Illiteracy. Participation was obligatory for those who were able to teach how to read and write as well as those who, because of their illiteracy, were under the legal obligation to undergo this schooling. The Federal Commission for School Buildings was created at the same time. |
During 1944-47, working in 21,587 centers, with 22,636 teachers, 1,393,596 persons were taught to read and write, or, in other words, 19% of the illiterate population. In 1948, according to the report of 15 states (17 others unreported), 107,946 learned to read and write. As for the school building program, in 1944 there were 20,783 in all of Mexico; 4,498 urban and 16,285 rural. From June 1947 to June 1948, 216 schools were built, plus 120 scheduled for completion by the end of the year. |
