With the start of 2025, students, parents, and teachers are preparing for the upcoming school year, but for some states in Mexico, there have been changes to the return date for classes. After officially beginning winter vacation on December 19, 2024, schools were originally scheduled to welcome students back on January 9, 2025. Yet, due to recent announcements from the Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP), students from Guanajuato and Baja California will have additional time off before they return to classrooms.
While the nationwide school calendar highlighted January 9 as the return date, authorities from both Guanajuato and Baja California have decided to postpone classes until January 13. The reason behind this delay is to accommodate intensive workshops for teaching staff scheduled for January 9 and 10. This decision allows educators to engage in professional development activities before students resume their education.
''El regreso a clases en enero 2025 está marcado para el próximo jueves 9 de enero. Sin embargo, en algunas entidades el regreso a clases fue pospuesto y los alumnos y alumnas contarán con días extra de descanso,'' explained education officials. This decision impacts thousands of students who will now enjoy four extra days of vacation compared to their peers across the rest of Mexico.
According to the education authorities, these workshops are part of the preparation for the second half of the school year, which is now underway. Although the vast majority of states remain on schedule and plan to resume classes on the originally designated dates, Guanajuato and Baja California have opted for flexibility to meet the needs of their educational teams.
''Los estados donde el regreso a clases fue pospuesto impartirán un Taller Intensivo para Personal Docente y Directivo los días jueves 9 y viernes 10 de enero,'' they added. This intensive training addresses pedagogical updates and instructional strategies to enrich the learning experience for students throughout the upcoming semester.
The rest of the country will continue as planned, with students anticipated to return to schools on January 9, ensuring minimal disruption. Parents and students outside of the affected regions are advised to continue with their back-to-school preparations as originally scheduled.
Looking forward, the school calendar for the 2024-2025 academic year includes several notable dates. The first semester will conclude on January 13, following which students will have multiple breaks for events such as Holy Week, which runs from April 14 to April 25, 2025. The final day of the school year will be July 16, 2025, marking the conclusion of academic activities with anticipated end-of-year assessments and ceremonies.
With the decisions made by Guanajuato and Baja California, it remains to be seen how these changes will influence educational practices and student learning outcomes. Overall, the adjustments showcase the SEP's commitment to optimizing teacher performance and student success, balancing necessary training with academic responsibilities. Such measures are sure to resonate positively within the educational community as the new year begins.