The clock advances and the alarm sounds loudly
The possible cut of the 2025-2026 school year already has specialists with their hearts in their throats. The Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO) issued a warning that we cannot ignore: advancing the end of classes to June 5 could be a direct blow to the learning of 23.3 million students. And not only that, it would also deepen the educational gap, increase inequalities and hit women hard.
“Decisions in educational policy require planning, evidence and a gender perspective,” said the organization in X.
Numbers that hurt
Look at this: currently 66% of students do not master basic math operations. Only 34% manage to solve elementary problems and no student reaches the highest level of mathematical reasoning. Mexico ranks 35th out of 37 countries on the OECD’s PISA test, with the worst performance in science and severe declines in math and reading since 2003. Cutting five weeks of school is not a minor adjustment—it’s playing with fire.
The hidden cost for women
Here is the drama that few see: women already dedicate close to 40 hours a week to domestic and care work. With kids out of school a month early, that load could skyrocket to 65 hours a week. This especially affects working mothers with little work flexibility. Education policy is not just numbers—it is real lives.
Lag that does not stop growing
The school enrollment rate fell at all levels during the last decade. In preschool it went from 71.9% to 63.6%, in primary school from 98.6% to 94.5%, and in secondary school from 87.6% to 82.2%. There are 24.5 million Mexicans with educational backwardness. In Chiapas and Oaxaca, more than 30% did not finish compulsory education. And now they want to cut more?
“Reducing the school year represents an impact on learning and contributes to educational lag,” insisted the IMCO.
This is not theory—it is a ticking time bomb. The measure comes just when Mexico is suffering from the consequences of the pandemic, low levels of learning and a historic drop in international evaluations. Every decision counts.
