CNTE Strike Shuts 17,000 Schools, Affecting 1.4 Million Students

An indefinite strike by Mexico's National Union of Education Workers (CNTE) has led to the closure of more than 17,000 schools, leaving nearly 1.4 million students without classes, according to the Ministry of Public Education (SEP).

Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Zacatecas are experiencing the most significant disruptions. In Oaxaca alone, 10,653 schools and 734,054 students are affected, representing 80.61 percent of public schools and 92.13 percent of the state's student population. The strike involves 49,519 teachers in Oaxaca.

Chiapas has seen 2,392 schools and 261,414 students affected, while Zacatecas reports 2,081 schools and 217,375 students out of class. Zacatecas ranks second in terms of closed schools, with 47.02 percent of its educational institutions impacted, involving 14,996 teachers.

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The indefinite strike that the National Union of Education Workers has maintained since June 1 is a logical consequence of a government that has spent years negotiating with the CNTE on the CNTE's terms and passing the bill to the poorest children in the country.

Erik Avilés, director general of Mexicanos Primero in Michoacán, criticized the government's approach, stating that years of political negotiations with the CNTE have sidelined the educational rights of children. He highlighted Oaxaca's situation as particularly alarming, with over nine out of ten basic education students missing classes.

Avilés also pointed to the economic implications, noting that the payment of teacher salaries during the strike represents a significant drain on public resources. Guerrero reported 1,380 closed schools and 117,495 affected students, while Michoacán registered 767 schools and 54,106 students impacted.

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But the number that should be most scandalous is that of Oaxaca: 92.13 percent of the state's student body without a single day of classes. Nine out of ten Oaxacan children without a teacher. Not in a country at war. Not during a pandemic, but in June 2026.