In Tabasco, there has been an increase in school absenteeism, particularly in Villahermosa. In Morelos, violence in localities such as Yautepec, Cuautla, and Huitzilac has forced the reduction of school hours or the temporary closure of schools due to extortion threats and insecurity in the vicinity of schools. The organization Mexicanos Primero has emphasized the urgent need to ensure safety in the country's schools.
In the first 20 weeks of the 2024-2025 school year, at least 34 municipalities in 7 states of the country have had to face closures, reduced hours, and transitions to online modes due to increasing acts of violence and insecurity. According to the organization Mexicanos Primero, the most affected entities are Sinaloa, Guerrero, Chiapas, Michoacán, Morelos, Tabasco, and Baja California, where various schools have remained closed, operated intermittently, or faced absenteeism due to gunfire, the placement of narcomantas, and extortion of school authorities.
Sinaloa has been especially affected by the wave of violence that began in September 2024. According to the Mexicanos Primero observatory, the first days of the 2024-2025 school year saw the total closure of schools in municipalities such as Culiacán, Mazatlán, and Navolato due to armed confrontations. In January 2025, Culiacán recorded the closure of 81 schools and a reduced school attendance rate of 60% in primary and secondary levels, following an armed confrontation that occurred on January 20.
The situation has generated great concern among parents, teachers, and school authorities, who demand greater efforts to protect school communities and ensure that students can access education without fear. In a statement, Patricia Vázquez, president of the organization, noted that investing in education and ensuring public safety conditions is crucial to effectively address violence in the long term.
"Schools must be safe spaces where girls, boys, and adolescents can dream and build their future." - Patricia Vázquez
In total, the impacts of insecurity have left at least 30 irregular days of classes in Sinaloa, not including holidays or school board sessions.
In addition to Sinaloa, other states have also recorded school closures due to violence. In some of these localities, such as Chichihualco, schools have been closed for over a year, first due to the effects of hurricanes and then due to violence. In Michoacán, several municipalities such as Zinapécuaro, Zitácuaro, and Apatzingán have reported school closures due to insecurity, with 200 schools affected in September 2024, at the beginning of the school year. In Baja California, the municipalities of Tijuana, Ensenada, and Tecate have also seen their educational infrastructure affected. In Chiapas, 17 municipalities have reported closures, absenteeism, and conflicts due to violent events. In Guerrero, municipalities such as Coyuca de Benítez, Petatlán, and Chichihualco are facing a prolonged crisis of violence.
