SOCIAL PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION AND INCREASE SOCIAL CAPABILITIES AND DEVELOPMENT. THE CASE OF THE PROGRAM FOR DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY AT SCHOOLS, “DIGITAL CLASSROOM” OF MEXICO CITY, 2012

A review of recent literature in the area of education reveals that the increase in its quality enhances the productive potential of students, thus increasing human and social capital and capabilities. Also, the literature shows that the use of modern technologies of information and communications (ICT) such as computers and internet increase the quality of education in a very effective way. However, the use of computers and internet in developing areas, such as México is not very generalized, as they are relatively costly for large portions of population in those areas.

During the period 2007-2012, the Government of Mexico City implemented social programs aimed at improving the quality of education at public schools. One of such programs was the Program for Digital Connectivity at Schools, ‘Digital Classroom’, which consisted in endowing all of the city´s public schools of the basic level with a package that included 25 desktop computers connected to high speed internet, as well as printers and other accessories.

The purpose of this paper is to show the results of an evaluation of the satisfaction derived from the program by the students and their parents, as well as by the instructors and directives at the participating schools, obtained from the information gathered through surveys conducted among them during the school year 2011-2012. From those results, which in general qualify ‘Digital Classroom’ as a very useful program, one could derive its significant importance for the city´s potential development, in light of some previous research which shows that the adoption of computers by families in urban areas in Mexico is not high, mainly because of economic reasons, so that the Program makes TICs accessible for students, which might not happen without it.