Intergenerational social mobility in Mexico. The case of preschool graduates during the Covid 19 pandemic

Abstract

This article analyzes the intergenerational social mobility of women beyond the normal age for higher education (18 to 22 years old) who studied and worked while enrolled in a bachelor's degree and who are engaged in teaching, based on a follow-up of graduates of the unit 097's degree in preschool education (Licenciatura en Educación Preescolar) of the National Pedagogical University (UPN) in Mexico City. For the study, an online questionnaire was applied; 128 graduates completed the questionnaire. The results show that the potential benefits of higher education in terms of social mobility are limited by the disadvantageous conditions in which preschool education graduates live and work, conditions that are accentuated by institutional factors (such as the low graduation rate of this unit) and other circumstances (such as the pandemic).