Education Ministry Says Saturday Teacher Activities Are Voluntary

A new education rule has teachers and the Education Ministry arguing over Saturdays.

Primicias reports that Acuerdo Nro. MINEDEC-MINEDEC-2026-00045-A, issued at the end of May, allows complementary activities in fiscal schools on Saturdays.

Those activities include sports olympiads, community-linkage projects and academic reinforcement.

What the Ministry Says

Juan Carlos Rodriguez, vice minister of Education Management, told Primicias the measure formalizes work that teachers already did on weekends.

He said teachers would be compensated with vacation days.

Rodriguez described the activities as voluntary, saying it is a facultative and voluntary matter, and that the ministry is not saying teachers will work Saturdays or that labor conditions will be made precarious.

What the UNE Says

The Union Nacional de Educadores argues the agreement is not clear.

Primicias reports the teachers' union says article 2 refers to attendance, planning, execution and registration of activities as mandatory for teaching and administrative personnel.

What This Means for Expats

If you have children in Ecuador's public-school system, this is worth watching because weekend activities, academic reinforcement and school calendars can affect family schedules.

For now, this is a policy dispute, not a confirmed new universal Saturday school day. The practical thing is to watch what your specific school communicates before changing weekend plans.

Source: Primicias