Saturday classes are not mandatory, says Education Minister

Ecuador's Minister of Education, Gilda Alcívar, has clarified that Saturday activities in public schools will not be mandatory regular classes, emphasizing their voluntary nature. This clarification addresses concerns arising from ministerial agreement 0045, published on May 27.

Alcívar explained that these complementary activities are already practiced in various educational institutions and are designed to compensate teachers for extra work with compensatory days off. These days off can be taken either in late December, between Christmas and New Year's, or at the end of the teacher vacation period, provided no regular academic activities are scheduled.

The agreement permits a range of activities, including sports, cultural events, scientific endeavors, academic reinforcement, and socio-emotional programs. These will be considered part of the comprehensive educational process and will be integrated into the school calendar for fiscal institutions in the Costa–Galápagos and Sierra–Amazonía regions, beginning with the 2026–2027 academic year.

"I want to emphasize something categorically: these activities do not constitute regular class sessions on Saturdays, neither for students nor for teachers," Alcívar stated. "It is important to say this with total transparency; they are not mandatory activities for educational institutions… they are voluntary."

The minister added that the initiative aims to standardize and recognize existing practices, such as science fairs or integration days with families, that already occur in some schools. Educational institutions will maintain their regular curriculum planning from Monday to Friday, without extending their weekend schedules.

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I want to emphasize something categorically: these activities do not constitute regular class sessions on Saturdays, neither for students nor for teachers. It is important to say this with total transparency; they are not mandatory activities for educational institutions… they are voluntary.