Mexico Keeps Normal School Dates for World Cup

May 12, 2026, 10:52
Latin AmericaPolitics

Introduction

The Mexican government will not end the school year early. Students will follow the original school calendar.

Main Body

Education Secretary Mario Delgado wanted to end school on June 5. He thought this would help with traffic and hot weather during the World Cup. Many parents and experts did not like this idea. They said 23 million students need more time to learn. Some parents also had no place for their children to stay. President Claudia Sheinbaum talked to parents and experts. She decided to keep the old dates. School now ends on July 15 and starts again on August 31. The government is also fixing the airport and the Azteca stadium. The President says the city will be safe for all visitors.

Conclusion

The school dates are the same. The government is now preparing the city and security for the tournament.

Learning

πŸ“… Dealing with Time and Dates

In the text, we see how to talk about when things happen. To reach A2, you need to move from simple words to clear dates.

1. The 'On' Rule We use on for specific days and dates.

  • Wrong: School ends July 15.
  • Right: School ends on July 15.
  • Right: School starts on August 31.

2. Changing the Time (Past vs. Future) Look at how the story changes from what was planned to what will happen:

  • The Idea (Past): "Secretary Mario Delgado wanted to end school..." β†’\rightarrow This is a finished wish.
  • The Result (Future): "Students will follow the original calendar..." β†’\rightarrow This is a fact about the future.

3. Simple Word Swaps To sound more natural, try these simple changes from the text:

  • Old dates β†’\rightarrow The original calendar
  • End school early β†’\rightarrow Finish the year sooner

Vocabulary Learning

school (n.)
A place where children learn.
Example:I go to school every day.
year (n.)
A period of 12 months.
Example:The school year starts in September.
students (n.)
People who study at school.
Example:Students write essays for homework.
parents (n.)
People who take care of children.
Example:Parents help their children with school work.
experts (n.)
People who know a lot about something.
Example:Experts say the plan is good.
idea (n.)
A thought or suggestion.
Example:I have an idea for a new game.
need (v.)
To require something.
Example:Students need books for class.
time (n.)
A period when something happens.
Example:We have more time to study.
learn (v.)
To gain knowledge.
Example:Children learn many things at school.
place (n.)
A location.
Example:There is a place for the children.
stay (v.)
To remain in a place.
Example:The kids will stay at home.
president (n.)
The leader of a country.
Example:The president spoke to the media.
city (n.)
A large town.
Example:The city has many parks.
airport (n.)
A place where planes land.
Example:We will arrive at the airport.
stadium (n.)
A large sports arena.
Example:The game will be played in the stadium.
safe (adj.)
Free from danger.
Example:The city will be safe for visitors.
visitors (n.)
People who visit a place.
Example:Many visitors came to the city.
tournament (n.)
A competition with many games.
Example:The tournament lasts for weeks.
dates (n.)
Specific days for events.
Example:The school dates are fixed.
ends (v.)
To finish.
Example:School ends at 3 p.m.
starts (v.)
To begin.
Example:School starts at 8 a.m.
weather (n.)
The state of the atmosphere.
Example:The weather is hot.
traffic (n.)
Cars on the road.
Example:Traffic is heavy in the city.
hot (adj.)
Having a high temperature.
Example:It is hot outside.
world (n.)
The planet Earth.
Example:The world is big.
cup (n.)
A trophy for a competition.
Example:They won the cup.
government (n.)
The group that runs a country.
Example:The government made a decision.
keep (v.)
To continue.
Example:They keep the dates.
original (adj.)
The first or first version.
Example:The original plan was simple.
calendar (n.)
A list of dates.
Example:The calendar shows the school days.
prepare (v.)
To get ready.
Example:They prepare the city for visitors.
security (n.)
The state of being safe.
Example:Security is important.