Educating more than one million students across the state, the Baja California government has delivered a sweeping expansion of academic scholarships, school meal distribution, campus infrastructure, and higher education access over the past five years.
In her Fifth State of the State Address, Governor Marina del Pilar Avila Olmeda showcased milestone achievements, including 100% school breakfast coverage across all public elementary schools, alongside critical infrastructure upgrades and student assistance programs.
Governor Marina del Pilar reiterated that access to education remains a cornerstone of her administration’s agenda. Significant state funds have been directed toward school construction, facility modernization, supplies, and direct financial aid. Following the principle that education is a fundamental right, not a privilege, these structural transformations aim to provide lasting opportunities for future generations.
The Pancita Llena, Corazón Contento (“Full Belly, Happy Heart”) initiative achieved universal coverage in Baja California’s public elementary schools. The program guarantees daily hot breakfasts for young students and has funded the construction of 86 school cafeterias during the current administration.
Physical infrastructure has moved forward through the Mejorando mi Escuela (“Improving My School”) program. The state invested more than $1.461 billion pesos to build, repair, and equip 3,038 schools directly impacting 600,000 students. An additional $88.6 million pesos went towards specialized equipment and facilities for special education programs, supporting over 3,000 students with special needs.
Working together with the federal administration led by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, Baja California is slated to add 3,000 new high school seats across Mexicali, Playas de Rosarito, and Tijuana, alongside expanded technical high school capacity.mIn addition, the Rosario Castellanos National University now operates a branch in Tijuana and will break ground on a new campus in Mexicali.
The Corazón de Cimarrón Scholarship fully waives enrollment fees for Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC) students, granting 42,571 tuition exemptions across the 2026 academic year (terms 2026-1 and 2026-2). The JOBEC Scholarships delivered financial aid to 6,974 young people across all seven municipalities to help them complete their degrees.
To ensure access for students in remote areas, the COMUNDER program now runs 44 school routes, easing daily commutes for students traveling long distances from rural areas.
These investments are delivering outcomes in student retention as middle school dropout rates fell from 2.1% during the 2021–2022 school year to 1.0% in 2024–2025.
Furthermore, through the community safety initiative Construyendo la Paz con el Corazón por Delante (“Building Peace with Heart First”), schools hosted 5,171 sports, artistic, civic, mental health, and safety workshops, benefiting 179,710 students and fostering safer, violence-free learning spaces.
Governor Marina del Pilar noted that continued investment in education provides students with proper nutrition, modernized facilities, and clear pathways to graduation solidifying a vision of shared well-being for families across Baja California.
