Mexico cancels plans to end school year early for World Cup

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Mexico cancels plans to end school year early for World Cup3 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleVanessa BuschschlüterLatin America online editorSashenka Gutierrez/EPA/ShutterstoThe Mexican government has cancelled plans to end the school year more than a month early to ease traffic during the Fifa World Cup and an anticipated heatwave. Mexico is due to co-host the football tournament with the United States and Canada from 11 June to 19 July. The reversal comes after an outcry by parents who warned that it would disrupt their children's studies.

Many families also said that they had been thrown into a tailspin, trying to arrange for weeks of childcare to cover the early finish. After the U-turn, classes will now finish on 15 July - and not on the proposed earlier date of 5 June. The row was brought about by an announcement by the education minister on 7 May, when Mario Delgado said that "an extraordinary heatwave, the World Cup and other factors" had led to the decision to end the school year early.

The Details

The date he cited was 5 June. However, the announcement was met with anger by the National Union of Parents, which said that citing the World Cup as a reason to cancel classes was "inexcusable". Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum quickly clarified that cutting short classes had only been "a proposal".

The idea was finally quashed on Monday after the education ministry had held further consultations with parents and education think tanks. President Sheinbaum has assured visiting fans that they will encounter "conditions of security" in the country. Security arrangements have been under intense scrutiny since a wave of violence swept over the country following the death of notorious drug leader Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera two months ago.

Members of El Mencho's cartel burnt cars and spread terror in retaliation after their leader died of injuries sustained during a clash with soldiers deployed to arrest him. Sheinbaum has also been adamant that works on the Azteca stadium in Mexico City and the capital's international airport will be concluded in time. Will Mexico City's airport be ready for the World Cup?

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The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.