Mexican authorities have announced that the current school year will end more than a month earlier than scheduled as the country prepares to host FIFA World Cup matches, a decision that has triggered widespread criticism.
Education Secretary Mario Delgado said the academic year will conclude on June 5, citing extreme heat conditions in several states as well as preparations related to the upcoming tournament.
“We are going to end the school year on June 5 because many states are already experiencing high temperatures, and there is also the issue of the World Cup,” he said during an event in the northern state of Sonora.
The World Cup, jointly hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada, is set to begin on June 11, with Mexico scheduled to face South Africa in Mexico City.
However, President Claudia Sheinbaum said the proposal had not yet been finalised, stressing that no official calendar decision had been made.
“There is no definitive calendar yet. It is important that children do not miss classes either,” she said during her daily press briefing.
The announcement has drawn strong reactions from parents and education advocates, with concerns that millions of students could lose valuable learning time.
A public policy think tank warned that the move could affect more than 23.4 million students, worsening existing educational inequalities and learning gaps.
Business groups also criticised the decision, calling it rushed and warning it could disrupt family routines and workplace productivity.
In contrast, officials in the state of Jalisco said they would not follow the directive and would keep schools open until June 30 as originally planned, except for brief suspensions during World Cup matches hosted in Guadalajara.
The controversy continues as authorities weigh whether to adjust the next academic year schedule, which is currently set to begin on August 31.
