The New York Times

Some commentators wondered if Mr. Peña Nieto was merely taking out a political foe, in the style of past Mexican presidents. But going after Ms. Gordillo, coupled with the changes in the law, injected an air of hope that one of the most corrupted systems essential to Mexico’s economic promise may get a cleansing and that the rich and powerful kingmakers a reckoning.

“Making Mexican education more effective, and making sure that Mexicans receive an education that opens up the possibility of meaningful university and college careers afterwards, will be essential if Mexico is to take advantage of the current economic optimism prevailing in the country, and to use it as a steppingstone to an economy based on skilled labor,” said Duncan Wood, director of the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute in Washington.

While Mexico has made strides in providing education for young children, older ones tend to fall behind; only 47 percent of students are expected to graduate from high school, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Only just over half of 15- to 19-year-olds are enrolled in education, an increase of 10 percent from a decade ago but trailing Brazil (75 percent), Chile (73 percent) and the organization’s average (82 percent).

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