During the pandemic’s ‘new normal,’ we’re looking at the private sector, where abrupt declines in student enrollment may be about to cause major problems for institutions across the world. 

Private schools across Mexico anticipate a potential 30% drop of in enrollments ahead of the upcoming academic year. That’s across all age groups, which leaves private schools seeking ways to survive.

As well as a lack of financial resources, teaching over video calls has made parents lose faith in the quality of the education their children are receiving, according to Vanesa Hernandez, who teaches in a Mexico City high school.

“If it was hard to keep their attention before, now it's even harder. There are so many distractions: the dog walks past, mum uses the blender in the kitchen, dad is watching the football," says Ms. Hernandez. So, it’s very hard for them to feel they are taking a class, and in all honesty, they aren’t learning.”

Mario Lopez is the director of IPEI, the private academy where Axel was studying. He believes the opposite: that when it comes to the business of private education, online schooling is the future.

CGTN’s Alasdair Baverstock has more from Mexico City.