Mexico in Uproar Over Government's Announcement: "Summer Vacation to Start June 8 Due to World Cup"

Semester End Date Moved from July 15 to June 5
Parents and Civic Groups Criticize Ministry of Education

The Mexican government, which will co-host the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, has announced plans to move up the start of the summer vacation by one month, prompting strong backlash from educational organizations and parents.

According to Mexican daily newspapers El Universal and Reforma on May 8 (local time), the federal Ministry of Education announced the previous day that, in consideration of the 2026 Mexico World Cup and nationwide heat waves, the end date of the school term would be moved up to June 5. The original academic calendar for 2025–2026, released at the beginning of the school year, had set the end of the second semester for July 15. However, with this new announcement, the number of school days will decrease by as many as 40 days. If the government’s plan proceeds, students will have an unusually long summer break lasting nearly three months, until classes resume on August 31.

Mario Delgado, Minister of Education, stated, “This adjustment to the academic calendar is due to the extraordinary heat wave we are currently experiencing, which is expected to persist throughout June and July, as well as the World Cup being hosted in Mexico.” He further emphasized, “Students’ academic achievement will be ensured.”

Educational, parent, and civic groups have condemned the government’s decision to shorten the academic term, calling it “outrageous.” The National Parents’ Association argued that reducing the school period by around five to seven weeks would further worsen the nation’s educational gap. They defined the shortened academic schedule as a “serious mistake,” stating, “The educational authorities are threatening the right of millions of students to an education, using high temperatures and the World Cup as excuses.” They added, “We cannot sacrifice our children’s education for a sporting event,” and pointed out, “Mexico already demonstrates serious deficiencies in reading, mathematics, and comprehension, as revealed by both domestic and international assessments.”

In the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Mexico ranked 51st out of 81 countries. The results showed that 66% of students in mathematics, 51% in science, and 47% in reading failed to meet minimum academic standards, classifying them as “below basic proficiency.” These figures are all significantly below the averages for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). PISA is the world’s most authoritative academic assessment, conducted every three years with both OECD and non-OECD member countries participating.

The fact that the United States and Canada, Mexico’s fellow World Cup co-hosts, have not officially shortened their academic calendars has also fueled criticism of the Mexican educational authorities. The PISA performance of the United States and Canada is significantly higher than that of Mexico.

Marco Fernandez, a Mexican civic group activist, stated, “Has any other country taken such measures? None.” He added, “Not only will students in Mexico be inadequately assessed, but countless families will now face serious difficulties in deciding how to care for their children and who will take responsibility for them.”

In the face of such fierce opposition, President Claudia Sheinbaum directly responded. At a regular press conference held at the presidential palace on May 8, President Sheinbaum said, “The main reason for moving up the vacation is the World Cup,” but also stated, “The early vacation is only a proposal and has not yet been finalized.” She added, “It is also important that children do not miss school.”

Meanwhile, the upcoming World Cup will be jointly hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The opening match will be held on June 11 in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, and the final will take place on July 19 in New Jersey, United States.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.