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Uruguay education agency sees significant rise in sick leave
🇺🇾 Uruguay /Culture & Society

Uruguay education agency sees significant rise in sick leave

From El País · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Uruguay's National Public Education Administration (ANEP) reports a significant increase in medical certifications among its staff.
  • The percentage of employees on sick leave rose from 55% in 2019 to 66% in 2024-2025, with a notable rise among teachers.
  • Respiratory illnesses and mental health disorders were the primary reasons for certification, with mental health issues causing longer absences.

The National Public Education Administration (ANEP) in Uruguay has registered a "significant and sustained increase" in medical certifications among its employees. The number of staff taking sick leave rose from 55% in 2019 to 66% in 2024 and 2025, according to the agency's accountability report. This rise was particularly pronounced among teachers in early childhood and primary education.

significant and sustained increase

— ANEPDescribing the trend in medical certifications among its employees.

In 2025, 66% of ANEP staff, totaling 43,567 employees, were certified at least once during the year. The report highlights that teachers certify more frequently than administrative staff. While ANEP lacks definitive data to explain this difference, it hypothesizes that teachers face numerous psychosocial risks daily, including managing large student groups, complex behavioral issues, and conflicts. Job instability and the need for multiple jobs may also contribute.

The teachers face day by day multiple psychosocial risks, such as managing large groups of students, complex problems and coexistence conflicts. To this can be added job instability and/or insecurity and the need for multi-employment.

— ANEPHypothesizing reasons for the higher rate of medical certifications among teachers.

The two main reasons for certifications in 2025 were respiratory system diseases and mental and behavioral disorders. Certifications for respiratory issues follow a national trend, while those for mental health have seen a "progressive increase," aligning with global trends. Although respiratory illnesses led to more certifications overall, mental and behavioral disorders resulted in significantly longer absences, averaging 73.8 days per case compared to respiratory issues.

follow a national trend

— ANEPDescribing the pattern of certifications for respiratory issues.

ANEP is also advancing its educational re-engagement campaign, aiming to reach approximately 5,400 young people not currently enrolled in school. Separately, a plan for ANEP to grant professional titles is facing controversy, with proposals to start with already-qualified teachers and require class project submissions.

progressive increase

— ANEPDescribing the trend in certifications for mental health issues.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El País in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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