The opening of an Ajijic branch of Jocotepec’s Centro de Estudios de Aguas Continentales (CETAC 01) will provide new options for local students seeking entry into high school-level education programs.
The initiative to expand the CETAC curricula in the fields of Business Administration and Food and Beverage Preparation took solid shape Thursday, March 21 at a ceremony held on the grounds of the Auditorio de la Ribera where Chapala Mayor Moisés Anaya handed keys to the facility’s annex to CETAC Director Rigoberto Merino González.
“This is an important step in increasing educational opportunities that make up the axis of community development,” Anaya declared. Noting that around 120 local youngsters currently make the daily trek to pursue studies in Jocotepec, he said the Ajijic extension will allow them to save time and expenses, and likewise help reduce the dropout rate.
The school will occupy the classroom complex situated on the west side of the auditorium under a three-year loan agreement for the property, authorized by the Chapala city council on February 28.
At least 250 students are expected to enroll there for the new term starting in August of this year. Tuition is set at 650 pesos per semester, with scholarship opportunities available to worthy candidates.
In addition to the standard academic syllabus they will follow – including English language instruction – students may take advantage of various extracurricular sports activities and practical workshops, such as French, Italian, oratory and various genres of music and dance.
As an example, Thursday’s ceremony featured a performance by a couple from the Latin Dance Rhythms workshop and the lively tunes of the school’s Banda Los Pelícanos.
CETAC 01 has been in operation at its Jocotepec campus for 35 years. Standing out among 500 schools in the nationwide CETAC system, it is one of 44 branches to have earned the Level One quality standard. Graduates receive a title roughly equivalent to a junior college degree, enhancing their chances of gaining admission to university programs or landing jobs straight away in their chosen professions.