Will there be class cancellations on March 9th? SEP and UNAM clarify the situation

The “National Day Without Us” or “A Day Without Us” is a day observed every March 9th to raise awareness about women’s participation in society and to protest against gender violence. However, a common question among parents, students, and teachers is: will classes be canceled on this day? The main educational institutions in Mexico have already provided clear answers about what will happen in the classrooms.

Why many believe classes are canceled: the March 9 movement

Although the social movement encourages many people to participate in protest activities, March 9th is not officially recognized as a day off. This confusion arises because the event mobilizes a significant number of people, but it is not included in labor laws or official school calendars as a mandatory day off. For this reason, many families remain unsure whether their children will attend school on this date.

The official stance: SEP confirms there are no class cancellations

According to the official school calendar of the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) for the 2025-2026 cycle, there are no class cancellations on Monday, March 9th for preschool, elementary, or secondary schools. This date does not appear marked as a day off in official documents, meaning that school activities will proceed normally in most public and private schools integrated into the national education system.

However, SEP has acknowledged that each educational institution can make internal decisions based on their context. If teachers or students choose to participate in the movement, authorities have indicated some flexibility in managing these situations.

UNAM’s response: flexibility without canceling activities

The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) announced that it will not declare a general cancellation of activities for March 9, 2026. However, it adopted a more flexible stance: women who wish to participate in the March 9th calls can do so without facing academic repercussions, thus respecting their right to protest.

As a result, classes will continue according to their regular schedule, although some university spaces may see lower attendance due to the mobilization.

Other days off in March: when classes will be canceled

While March 9th does not have canceled classes, the SEP school calendar does include other days with suspension of activities during this month:

• March 16th: Official day off for Benito Juárez’s anniversary.
• Administrative record of grades and sessions of the School Technical Council on specific dates in the month.
• March 30th and 31st: Start of Holy Week vacations, with classes suspended.

These dates do represent official class cancellations for millions of students in basic education in Mexico, unlike March 9th.