Escuela Nacional Preparatoria
Encyclopedia
The Escuela Nacional Preparatoria (National Preparatory School) (ENP), the oldest senior high school system in Mexico, belonging to the National Autonomous University of Mexico
(UNAM), opened its doors on February 1, 1868. It was founded by Gabino Barreda
, M.D., following orders of then President of Mexico
Benito Juárez
. It is also modern UNAM
's oldest institution.
This institution's location was the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso
(San Ildefonso College), which is located in the heart of Mexico City
's historic center. This college was founded in 1588 by the Jesuits and was prestigious during colonial times, but it had almost completely fallen into ruin by the time of the Reform Laws
in the 1860s. These Laws secularized most of Church property, including the San Ildefonso College building In 1867, Benito Juárez
began reform of the educational system, taking it out of clerical hands and making it a government function. San Ildefonso was converted into the Escuela Nacional Preparatoria initially directed by Gabino Barreda
, who organized the new school on the Positivist model of Auguste Comte
(Comtism). The initial purpose of the school was to provide the nucleus of students for the soon-to-be-reconstructed Universidad Nacional (National University), later National Autonomous University of Mexico
, which was re-established in 1910 by Justo Sierra
.
The new preparatory school began functioning at the San Ildefonso building with more than 700 day students and 200 live-in students. The complex remained a separate entity until 1929, when the Universidad Nacional gained autonomy, meaning it became independent of the government, though still government-sponsored. The Preparatory School became part of the newly-independent university system, being designated as Preparatory #1 for a short time.
Following this, because of the increasing demand, nine more schools were built, as well as a new organizational organism called General Direction. These schools were located at the center of Mexico City, but due the increasing size of the city and the necessity for modern buildings, they were relocated in the vicinity of the city, mainly orientated in the southern neighborhoods like Coyoacán
, Xochimilco
and Villa Coapa.
The original San Ildefonso College location remained open until 1978, when it closed completely. It is now a museum and cultural museum.
.
Its present director is Luis Samuel Saloma, pendejasoo along the 9 schools of the ENP, giving a final concert at the Auditorium at the General Direction.
Frida Kahlo was one of their many students. She attended the school in 1922.
The Horizon High School
in Broomfield, Colorado
, United States, has a 10-day exchange plan for 9 students and 2 teachers at School number 3.
City High School at Oklahoma
has an exchange of 15 days with School number 9.
The main conflict started after an attack on a student (Diego Contreras) on November 10, 2005 at Preparatoria 6. Activists decided to occupy the high schools, in order to demand the expulsion of corrupt authorities and several criminals that actually were enrolled as students in these schools. The high schools remained occupied by the activist groups for several weeks.
In Preparatoria 6 the parents' association together with teachers confronted the authorities about the lack of action to exclude these criminal groups. They voted no confidence in the school's principal Apolonio García Sanchez. It was also in this high school that the first meeting took place with the director of Escuela Nacional Preparatoria Héctor Herrera. Students asked him for more security in the outskirts of the establishment and for the restitution of expelled activists.
Students from Preparatoria 5 demanded that the authorities of Escuela Nacional Preparatoria sign certain petitions, among them, a major control of the establishment's accesses, the resignation of several employees who were thought to support the "porros", and the expulsion of those people who struck and assaulted young students.
The academic activities continued in both establishments with the access controlled by students and elements of Auxilio UNAM (security bodies inside the institution), to avoid the entrance of "porros" so they couldn’t incur on provocations. The students announced that they would made meetings and informative brigades to present the reasons for which they maintain the protest.
After a long process of negotiations, between Students and Authorities, finally they reached several agreements:
On one hand, at Preparatoria 6 authorities granted the destitution of Apolonio García Sánchez, as well as the hiring of new security elements to bring more safety, and the creation of a local security council, that would make sure the fulfillment of the agreements.
On the other hand with regards to the agreements reached in Preparatoria 5, the authorities of Escuela Nacional Preparatoria (ENP) decided the destitution of the private secretary of the director, the head of the legal office, the secretary of support to the community and the academic secretary of the vespertine turn. In addition the performance of the prefects of the establishment would be reviewed and the monitoring of the school will be reinforced. On November 22 of 2005, in a general assembly ruled by students the agreements were signed, at the same time as the high schools’ offices were given to their respective authorities
National Autonomous University of Mexico
The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is a university in Mexico. UNAM was founded on 22 September 1910 by Justo Sierra as a liberal alternative to the Roman Catholic-sponsored Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) (National Autonomous...
(UNAM), opened its doors on February 1, 1868. It was founded by Gabino Barreda
Gabino Barreda
Gabino Barreda was a Mexican physician and philosopher oriented to French positivism.After participating in the U.S.-Mexican War defending his country as a volunteer, he studied medicine in Paris . There he became acquainted with Auguste Comte's doctrine, before his first publications in philosophy...
, M.D., following orders of then President of Mexico
President of Mexico
The President of the United Mexican States is the head of state and government of Mexico. Under the Constitution, the president is also the Supreme Commander of the Mexican armed forces...
Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez born Benito Pablo Juárez García, was a Mexican lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca who served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858–1861 as interim, 1861–1865, 1865–1867, 1867–1871 and 1871–1872...
. It is also modern UNAM
Unam
UNAM or UNaM may refer to:* National University of Misiones, a National University in Posadas, Argentina*National Autonomous University of Mexico , the large public autonomous university based in Mexico City...
's oldest institution.
This institution's location was the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso
San Ildefonso College
The San Ildefonso College currently is a museum and cultural center in Mexico City, considered to be the birthplace of the Mexican muralism movement. San Ildefonso began as a prestigious Jesuit boarding school, and after the Reform War, it gained educational prestige again as National Preparatory...
(San Ildefonso College), which is located in the heart of Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
's historic center. This college was founded in 1588 by the Jesuits and was prestigious during colonial times, but it had almost completely fallen into ruin by the time of the Reform Laws
Reform War
The Reform War in Mexico is one of the episodes of the long struggle between Liberal and Conservative forces that dominated the country’s history in the 19th century. The Liberals wanted a federalist government, limiting traditional Catholic Church and military influence in the country...
in the 1860s. These Laws secularized most of Church property, including the San Ildefonso College building In 1867, Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez born Benito Pablo Juárez García, was a Mexican lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca who served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858–1861 as interim, 1861–1865, 1865–1867, 1867–1871 and 1871–1872...
began reform of the educational system, taking it out of clerical hands and making it a government function. San Ildefonso was converted into the Escuela Nacional Preparatoria initially directed by Gabino Barreda
Gabino Barreda
Gabino Barreda was a Mexican physician and philosopher oriented to French positivism.After participating in the U.S.-Mexican War defending his country as a volunteer, he studied medicine in Paris . There he became acquainted with Auguste Comte's doctrine, before his first publications in philosophy...
, who organized the new school on the Positivist model of Auguste Comte
Auguste Comte
Isidore Auguste Marie François Xavier Comte , better known as Auguste Comte , was a French philosopher, a founder of the discipline of sociology and of the doctrine of positivism...
(Comtism). The initial purpose of the school was to provide the nucleus of students for the soon-to-be-reconstructed Universidad Nacional (National University), later National Autonomous University of Mexico
National Autonomous University of Mexico
The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is a university in Mexico. UNAM was founded on 22 September 1910 by Justo Sierra as a liberal alternative to the Roman Catholic-sponsored Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) (National Autonomous...
, which was re-established in 1910 by Justo Sierra
Justo Sierra
Justo Sierra Méndez , was a prominent Mexican writer, journalist, poet and political figure of the second half of the nineteenth century. He was the son of Mexican novelist Justo Sierra O'Reilly, who is credited with inspiring his son with the spirit of literature...
.
The new preparatory school began functioning at the San Ildefonso building with more than 700 day students and 200 live-in students. The complex remained a separate entity until 1929, when the Universidad Nacional gained autonomy, meaning it became independent of the government, though still government-sponsored. The Preparatory School became part of the newly-independent university system, being designated as Preparatory #1 for a short time.
Following this, because of the increasing demand, nine more schools were built, as well as a new organizational organism called General Direction. These schools were located at the center of Mexico City, but due the increasing size of the city and the necessity for modern buildings, they were relocated in the vicinity of the city, mainly orientated in the southern neighborhoods like Coyoacán
Coyoacán
Coyoacán refers to one of the sixteen boroughs of the Federal District of Mexico City as well as the former village which is now the borough’s “historic center.” The name comes from Nahuatl and most likely means “place of coyotes,” when the Aztecs named a pre-Hispanic village on the southern shore...
, Xochimilco
Xochimilco
Xochimilco is one of the sixteen delegaciones or boroughs within Mexican Federal District. The borough is centered on the formerly independent city of Xochimilco, which was established on what was the southern shore of Lake Xochimilco in the pre-Hispanic period...
and Villa Coapa.
The original San Ildefonso College location remained open until 1978, when it closed completely. It is now a museum and cultural museum.
Orchestra
In 1972, the School's orchestra was founded by Uberto ZanolliUberto Zanolli
Uberto Zanolli , the son of Amelia Pìa Balugani Vecchi and Luigi Zanolli Marcolini, was an Italo-Mexican composer, conductor and writer;...
.
Its present director is Luis Samuel Saloma, pendejasoo along the 9 schools of the ENP, giving a final concert at the Auditorium at the General Direction.
Frida Kahlo was one of their many students. She attended the school in 1922.
Student exchange
The school runs academic exchanges with different foreign institutions, they are run on a yearly basis.The Horizon High School
Horizon High School (Thornton, Colorado)
Horizon High School is a public secondary institution located in Thornton, Colorado. The school was recognized by the Blue Ribbon Schools Program in 1994, 1995 and 1996...
in Broomfield, Colorado
Broomfield, Colorado
The City and County of Broomfield is a prominent suburb and tier of the Denver metropolitan area in the State of Colorado of the United States. Broomfield has a consolidated city and county government which operates under Article XX, Sections 10-13 of the Constitution of the State of Colorado. The...
, United States, has a 10-day exchange plan for 9 students and 2 teachers at School number 3.
City High School at Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
has an exchange of 15 days with School number 9.
Schools
Although the schools all have a name and a number, they are commonly referred to by their numbers rather than by their names.| School | Location |
|---|---|
| Preparatoria 1 Gabino Barreda Gabino Barreda Gabino Barreda was a Mexican physician and philosopher oriented to French positivism.After participating in the U.S.-Mexican War defending his country as a volunteer, he studied medicine in Paris . There he became acquainted with Auguste Comte's doctrine, before his first publications in philosophy... |
Xochimilco Xochimilco Xochimilco is one of the sixteen delegaciones or boroughs within Mexican Federal District. The borough is centered on the formerly independent city of Xochimilco, which was established on what was the southern shore of Lake Xochimilco in the pre-Hispanic period... |
| Preparatoria 2 Erasmo Castellanos Quinto | Iztacalco Iztacalco Iztacalco is one of the 16 delegaciones into which Mexico's Federal District is divided. It is located in the center-east of the district and is the smallest of the city’s boroughs. The area’s history began in 1309 when the island of Iztacalco, in what was Lake Texcoco, was settled in 1309 by the... |
| Preparatoria 3 Justo Sierra Justo Sierra Justo Sierra Méndez , was a prominent Mexican writer, journalist, poet and political figure of the second half of the nineteenth century. He was the son of Mexican novelist Justo Sierra O'Reilly, who is credited with inspiring his son with the spirit of literature... |
Gustavo A. Madero Gustavo A. Madero, D.F. Gustavo A. Madero is one of the 16 delegaciones into which Mexico's Federal District is divided.-Origins:Founded as "Villa de Guadalupe" in 1563, it became the city of "Villa de Guadalupe Hidalgo" in 1828, and finally a delegación in 1931; as such, it was named after Gustavo A. Madero, the brother... |
| Preparatoria 4 Vidal Castañeda y Nájera | Miguel Hidalgo Miguel Hidalgo, D.F. Miguel Hidalgo is one of the 16 delegaciones into which Mexico's Federal District is divided. The borough includes some of the most affluent parts of Mexico City, such as Lomas de Chapultepec and Polanco. Its population at the 2010 census was 372,889 inhabitants, and it lies at an elevation of... |
| Preparatoria 5 José Vasconcelos José Vasconcelos José Vasconcelos Calderón was a Mexican writer, philosopher and politician. He is one of the most influential and controversial personalities in the development of modern Mexico. His philosophy of "indigenismo" affected all aspects of Mexican sociocultural, political, and economic... |
Tlalpan Tlalpan Tlalpan is one of the sixteen administrative boroughs of the Federal District of Mexico City. It is the largest borough, with over eighty percent under conservation as forest and other ecologically sensitive area. The rest, almost all of it on the northern edge, has been urban since the mid 20th... |
| Preparatoria 6 Antonio Caso | Coyoacán Coyoacán Coyoacán refers to one of the sixteen boroughs of the Federal District of Mexico City as well as the former village which is now the borough’s “historic center.” The name comes from Nahuatl and most likely means “place of coyotes,” when the Aztecs named a pre-Hispanic village on the southern shore... |
| Preparatoria 7 Ezequiel A. Chávez | Venustiano Carranza Venustiano Carranza, D.F. Venustiano Carranza is one of the 16 delegaciones of Mexico's Federal District. The borough was formed in 1970 when the center of Mexico City was subdivided into four boroughs... |
| Preparatoria 8 Miguel E. Schulz | Alvaro Obregón Álvaro Obregón, D.F. Álvaro Obregón is one of the 16 delegaciones into which Mexico's Federal District is divided. It contains a large portion of the south-west part of Mexico City. It had a 2010 census population of 727,034 inhabitants and lies at an elevation of 2,319 m... |
| Preparatoria 9 Pedro de Alba | Gustavo A. Madero Gustavo A. Madero, D.F. Gustavo A. Madero is one of the 16 delegaciones into which Mexico's Federal District is divided.-Origins:Founded as "Villa de Guadalupe" in 1563, it became the city of "Villa de Guadalupe Hidalgo" in 1828, and finally a delegación in 1931; as such, it was named after Gustavo A. Madero, the brother... |
Curriculum
The school has mainly 2 kinds of study plan:- Iniciación Universitaria (University Initiation): Is only run at School 2, and it consists in 6 years, which covers Mexican Secondary and Preparatory School, the second half of it, is identical to all the other Schools plan.
- High School. It lasts for 3 years and is the main plan in all 9 schools. Last year is divided in 4 specialization areas: Physics, Mathematics and Engineering/ Biology and Health Sciences/Social Sciences/ Arts and Humanities.
Student protest movement at Preparatoria 5 and 6 of 2005
In 2005 there was a movement of student unrest in response to the perception that criminal groups known as "porros" had been allowed to operate inside the Preparatorias. The students joined with the parents association in the movement. The schools involved were Preparatoria 5 José Vasconcelos, Preparatoria 6 Antonio Caso, and Colegio de Ciencias y Humanidades Azcapotzalco.The main conflict started after an attack on a student (Diego Contreras) on November 10, 2005 at Preparatoria 6. Activists decided to occupy the high schools, in order to demand the expulsion of corrupt authorities and several criminals that actually were enrolled as students in these schools. The high schools remained occupied by the activist groups for several weeks.
In Preparatoria 6 the parents' association together with teachers confronted the authorities about the lack of action to exclude these criminal groups. They voted no confidence in the school's principal Apolonio García Sanchez. It was also in this high school that the first meeting took place with the director of Escuela Nacional Preparatoria Héctor Herrera. Students asked him for more security in the outskirts of the establishment and for the restitution of expelled activists.
Students from Preparatoria 5 demanded that the authorities of Escuela Nacional Preparatoria sign certain petitions, among them, a major control of the establishment's accesses, the resignation of several employees who were thought to support the "porros", and the expulsion of those people who struck and assaulted young students.
The academic activities continued in both establishments with the access controlled by students and elements of Auxilio UNAM (security bodies inside the institution), to avoid the entrance of "porros" so they couldn’t incur on provocations. The students announced that they would made meetings and informative brigades to present the reasons for which they maintain the protest.
After a long process of negotiations, between Students and Authorities, finally they reached several agreements:
On one hand, at Preparatoria 6 authorities granted the destitution of Apolonio García Sánchez, as well as the hiring of new security elements to bring more safety, and the creation of a local security council, that would make sure the fulfillment of the agreements.
On the other hand with regards to the agreements reached in Preparatoria 5, the authorities of Escuela Nacional Preparatoria (ENP) decided the destitution of the private secretary of the director, the head of the legal office, the secretary of support to the community and the academic secretary of the vespertine turn. In addition the performance of the prefects of the establishment would be reviewed and the monitoring of the school will be reinforced. On November 22 of 2005, in a general assembly ruled by students the agreements were signed, at the same time as the high schools’ offices were given to their respective authorities
Former general directors
- Gabino BarredaGabino BarredaGabino Barreda was a Mexican physician and philosopher oriented to French positivism.After participating in the U.S.-Mexican War defending his country as a volunteer, he studied medicine in Paris . There he became acquainted with Auguste Comte's doctrine, before his first publications in philosophy...
(1868–1878) - Miguel E. Schultz (1904–1905)
- José VasconcelosJosé VasconcelosJosé Vasconcelos Calderón was a Mexican writer, philosopher and politician. He is one of the most influential and controversial personalities in the development of modern Mexico. His philosophy of "indigenismo" affected all aspects of Mexican sociocultural, political, and economic...
(1919) - Ezequiel A. Chávez (1920–1921)
- Alfonso Caso Andrade - (1928–1930)
- Moisés Hurtado González (1970)
- Guadalupe Gorostieta y Cadena (1982–1986)
- Ernesto Schettino Maimone (1986–1994)
- José Luis Balmaceda Becerra (1994–1998)
- Héctor Enrique Herrera León y Vélez (1998–2006)
- María de Lourdes Sánchez Obregón (2006-2010)
- Silvia Jurado Cuéllar (2010 - Currently in Office)