Irma Villalpando, an academic from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), criticized the Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP) for proposing school calendar cuts.
The proposal to reduce instructional time could disrupt the final stages of the academic year, potentially impacting student learning outcomes during a critical period.
Villalpando said on Milenio Televisión regarding the plan to cut five weeks [1] from the 2025-2026 school cycle [2]. She said that these cuts target the last and most important period of the academic year. According to the academic, removing this time would be a significant mistake for the education system.
"Lo más adecuado es que la SEP reconozca el grave error de haber propuesto recortar cinco semanas del último y más importante periodo del ciclo escolar 2025‑2026," Villalpando said.
The academic's critique emphasizes the risk of losing essential instructional days. By targeting the end of the cycle, the proposed changes may prevent students from completing their curricula, or receiving necessary final evaluations. The debate centers on whether the administrative goals of the SEP outweigh the pedagogical needs of the students during the final term.
Villalpando said that the government should reconsider the proposal to ensure that the most vital part of the school year remains intact. She said that the timing of the cuts makes the error particularly severe, as this period is typically when critical synthesis of learning occurs.
“Removing five weeks from the 2025-2026 school cycle is a grave error.”
The conflict highlights a tension between government administrative planning and academic standards in Mexico. If the SEP implements these cuts, it may lead to a gap in educational quality for the 2025-2026 cohort, potentially sparking wider protests from educators and parents who view the final term as essential for student success.
