Overview
- Distribution of Banco del Bienestar debit cards began on Monday May 18 and will run through July 31, with officials saying the first deposit to activate the cards is planned for August.
- Authorities confirmed the program covers about 9.99 million primary students who will receive 2,500 pesos each and about 5.25 million secondary students who will receive 1,900 pesos each, for a combined investment above 83,587 million pesos.
- Cards are handed only to the person who registered the student and families must present the registrant’s ID plus the student’s birth certificate, CURP and a recent proof of address at the school pick-up site.
- A tentative alphabetical payment calendar for the May–June bimonthly disbursement is circulating and suggests deposits could start June 1, but the Secretaría del Bienestar has not issued an official schedule.
- The program expanded in 2026 to include all primary grades and officials say preschoolers may be added soon, a change that aims to lower dropout risk and reduce household spending on school basics while shifting how social aid is delivered at scale.