Empowering students and educators in Mexico
Schools that Learn is an educational improvement program delivered by Enseña por México in collaboration with Proyecto Nuevo Maestro (PNM), with support from Woodside.
The program aims to develop students’ social-emotional skills and improve their academic performance, while strengthening leadership among teachers and school principals and fostering a positive school environment. As a result, 71% of students demonstrated sustained growth in their social-emotional skills, reaching the highest levels of emotional wellbeing, and 81% of students improved their academic performance by 12 or more percentage points compared to initial assessments.
Enseña por México is a non-government organisation (NGO) that is part of the Teach For All network. It recruits young professionals known as agents of change who commit to teaching in schools for two years, with the goal of improving educational quality and supporting students’ social and emotional development. PNM is an educational NGO focused on working directly with teachers and school principals through training and educational support. It strengthens educators’ skills through workshops that introduce innovative teaching methods and leadership strategies.
The program was introduced in 2020 in elementary, secondary, and high schools across Tampico, Ciudad Madero, and Altamira in southern Tamaulipas. In 2023, the program expanded to schools in Matamoros, and in 2024 began operating in preschool institutions.
To date, Schools that Learn has supported the academic and social and emotional development of more than 13,500 students and strengthened the leadership skills of over 1,200 teachers and school principals, reaching more than 70,000 people directly and indirectly, including students, educators and parents.
“In 2025, the Woodside-supported program reached 5,100 students across 25 schools. "The development of social and emotional skills has been crucial in mitigating the learning gaps caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
During 2025, the program also supported 345 teachers and principals in 12 schools.
Erik Ramírez Ruiz, CEO of Proyecto Nuevo Maestro, said: “Enhancing pedagogical and school leadership skills has enabled communities to build internal capacity and foster a culture of continuous improvement.”
Teachers report tangible changes in their classrooms. María Delgado, a teacher at Lázaro Cárdenas Elementary School in Matamoros, said "Before participating in Schools that Learn, I focused only on teaching content. Now I understand the importance of supporting students’ emotional development helping them manage their feelings and build healthy relationships.”
“The program gave me the tools to create a safe and trusting environment, where my students not only learn, but also grow as individuals."
Beyond education, the initiative has addressed critical infrastructure challenges. After water shortages in 2024 forced temporary school closures, Woodside donated rainwater harvesting and treatment systems to schools in Tamaulipas. These systems now supply approximately 30% of annual water needs in six schools, benefiting more than 6,000 users and supporting safe, functional learning environments and continuity of education.
