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Teaching positions are for sale in Mexico, and have been for decades. Although seldom discussed, the practice—established by the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) to reward party loyalists—is apparently widespread. The going price for a teaching position in a public primary school is reported to be between $5,000 and $12,000, depending on locale. Teachers who resign can either sell their positions or pass them on to their children. In at least some cases, local governments and the teachers' union supervise the buying and selling process. However, a recent reform effort—the "Alliance for Education Quality" (ACE)—signed by the government and the national teachers' union in May, would base new teacher appointments on merit, via an examination administered by an independent body. Not surprisingly, it has generated a vociferous response at the grass-roots level. Teachers have gone on strike in many states, marching on government offices, closing schools and blocking streets.

Most people worry about pupils skiving off. In Mexico, it is the teachers. The government Census of Public Schools (2013) in Mexico shows that 13% of all teachers registered on the schools' payrolls do not turn up to work. The government will now comb through the data to see who among the mi..

Many Mexicans blame the National Education Workers Union, which has created "a monstrous system of perks and patronage", including the selling of teaching positions.

A research director from Mexico mentions that corruption is at the heart of the education system and that it is imperative to fight this scourge for the achievement of all students. He addresses various forms of corruption, particularly corruption related to the allocation of teachers to schools. 
 

Mexico's director of research talks about how to eliminate corruption in education in Mexico. He discusses several corruption issues in the country such as teacher absenteeism and emphasizes strategies to combat the corruption. To do so, he highlights the importance of community participation and standardized testing.

The "La Escuela es Nuestra" program was launched in 2019 as an initiative of the Federal Government in Mexico with the overall aim of improving the infrastructure and equipment of public basic education schools. The project focuses on promoting participatory management, with parents and pupils. The golas of this program are to foster citizen responsibility, prevent corruption in school budget management, and promote the values of integrity.