CNTE Strike Disrupts 1.2 Million Students

The CNTE strike has closed nearly 20,000 schools and left 1.2 million students without classes, underscoring the broader crisis facing Mexico’s public education system, reports Mexicanos Primero. Beyond labor disputes, persistent issues including poor infrastructure, health barriers, and deepening inequality continue to hinder learning and demand an urgent systemic reform.

According to SEP figures, the nationwide teachers’ strike has disrupted classes for nearly 1.2 million students. While the walkouts drew national attention, they also exposed deeper, ongoing tensions in the education system, reflecting widespread concerns about school conditions, student health, and unequal access to quality learning, says the report. 

Recent data compiled by Mexicanos Primero reveals widespread obstacles that continue to affect student participation and learning across the country. In Coahuila, 40% of public schools at the basic level adjusted their hours due to extreme heat, raising questions about the resilience of school infrastructure in the face of climate conditions. In Puebla, public school enrollment has declined by 5.6% over the past decade, even as the number of teachers rose by 3.9%.

Health-related issues are another persistent barrier. Nationwide evaluations showed that 59% of students in public schools have cavities, 38% suffer from visual impairments, and 39% face obesity or overweight conditions. All of these are problems that directly affect concentration and performance. In addition, menstrual health remains an under-addressed issue as four out of 10 girls miss school during their menstrual period, and 20% have reported being absent at least once due to this reason.

Structural challenges remain significant. According to data from PISA 2022, 31% of secondary schools in Mexico report lacking enough teachers, and 18% consider their existing staff insufficiently trained. Additionally, Mexico’s public primary school classrooms are overcrowded by international standards, with more than 30 students per teacher, compared to fewer than 20 in most OECD countries.

The Mexican education system includes over 2.1 million teachers across public and private institutions. In public schools, nearly 1.65 million teachers are responsible for more than 29 million students from preschool through high school. As the government navigates labor disputes and structural issues, recent trends suggest an urgent need for targeted policy interventions to improve educational access, infrastructure, and equity.

Despite the challenges, some programs have emerged to enhance learning opportunities. In Nuevo Leon, 431 students from five teacher-training colleges are studying French through a partnership with the Alianza Francesa, receiving training, scholarships, and language certification. In Sinaloa, more than 51,000 sixth-grade students participated in the 2025 Children's Knowledge Olympiad, with top performers advancing to the state level.