Chiapas Schools Begin Gradual Reopening After 20-Day Strike

Basic education schools in Chiapas, Mexico, have begun a staggered reopening following a strike that lasted 20 days ^[1].

The return to classrooms marks a fragile truce in a long-standing conflict over labor rights. While some students are returning to their desks, the gradual nature of the reopening means thousands of children continue to miss critical instructional time while their teachers negotiate with the state.

Reports indicate that 11,740 basic education schools are being reactivated ^[1]. However, the process is not uniform across the state. Data suggests that only 50% of the schools affected by the strike have actually resumed classes ^[2].

Sebastián Méndez Jiménez, a member of the CNTE Political Direction, said that the return to educational duties in the entity will be strictly gradual.

The strike was called by the National Confederation of Education Workers (CNTE). The organization is seeking improvements in salary, and general working conditions for educators in the region [1, 2]. Because the reopening is phased, many students remain without a consistent schedule as the union and educational authorities seek a final agreement.

This labor unrest is not isolated to Chiapas. In a separate but related movement, more than 800,000 basic education students in Oaxaca also returned to their classrooms as the CNTE moved to lift strikes in that state ^[3].

Despite the partial reopening in Chiapas, the tension remains high. The disparity between the number of schools slated for reactivation and those actually operating highlights the ongoing friction between the union's demands and the government's current offers [1, 2].