Peru's Unified Union of Education Workers (SUTEP) confirmed a 24-hour national strike for this Thursday, October 29, after a meeting of its members on Saturday the 24th, according to [La República](https://larepublica.pe/sociedad/2026/10/27/sutep-ratifica-paro-nacional-y-no-descarta-huelga-indefinida-habra-clases-este-29-de-octubre-712125). As of October 27, the Education Ministry (Minedu) had not ordered a general suspension of classes, so whether there is school will depend on turnout at each public school.
The union demands more funding for education, compliance with the collective agreement and regulations for Law 32581, which raises pensions for retired teachers. Its secretary general, Lucio Castro, told Exitosa that about 200,000 teachers and retirees will take part, a figure that has not been independently verified.
Is there school on October 29 because of the SUTEP national strike?
| Question | Answer as of October 27, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Did Minedu suspend classes? | There is no national suspension order |
| Who decides at each school? | The principal and the local education office (UGEL) or regional directorate, depending on how many teachers and staff join |
| Does it affect private schools? | The strike is by public school teachers; private schools operate normally unless they announce otherwise |
| Could schools close? | Yes: SUTEP Lima warned that if administrative and service staff join, 'schools will close' |
| What should parents do? | Check announcements from the school, the UGEL and Minedu before Thursday |
Sources: La República, Altavoz, Exitosa and El Popular. In Arequipa, the Regional Education Department ruled out suspending school activities, according to La República. Union leaders acknowledged that striking teachers may have their pay docked.
The SUTEP national strike in numbers
| Item | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 24 hours, Thursday, October 29 | SUTEP |
| Announced participants | 200,000 teachers and retirees (union figure) | Lucio Castro to Exitosa |
| Regions represented at the assembly that approved it | 24 | La República |
| Education funding demanded | 6% of GDP | La República |
| Pension sought under Law 32581 | S/ 3,500.70, the first-scale full monthly pay (RIM) | La República |
| Missed deadline to issue regulations | 90 days from April 2026 | La República |
Sources: La República, El Popular and Exitosa. Minedu has not published its own estimate of how many teachers will join; the real figure will be known on Thursday itself.
What teachers want
- Funding: that the state allocate 6% of GDP to education, for infrastructure, school meals, technology and working conditions.
- Collective agreement: compliance with the agreements of collective bargaining with the state and payment of social debt, including severance compensation (CTS).
- Pensions: regulations for Law 32581 on Decent Pensions for Teachers.
- Support in schools: hiring psychologists to deal with cases of school violence.
Sources: La República, Altavoz and Exitosa. Castro summed it up: "The strike is on, over one central issue, funding for education. [...] In next year's budget, for education as a whole, there is little or nothing." The 2027 budget is being discussed in Congress, which is also debating a S/ 8.228 billion supplementary appropriation.
What Law 32581 is and why it is at the center of the strike
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Law on Decent Pensions for Teachers |
| Enacted | April 2026 |
| What it does | Raises pensions of retired teachers in the Public Teaching Career up to the first-scale amount |
| Reference amount | First-scale full monthly pay (RIM): S/ 3,500.70 |
| Deadline for regulations | 90 days; the executive had not met it by the end of September |
| Challenges | Unconstitutionality claim by the Lima College of Economists before the Constitutional Court; the Economy Ministry objects to its cost |
Source: La República. Minedu has said the law must be complied with, although it warned it is hard to pay the full amount immediately. How much an active teacher earns today, by scale, is in how much a teacher earns in Peru.
Where the SUTEP strike marches will be
- Lima: gathering at 10:00 a.m. at the union's headquarters at Jirón Camaná 550, in the historic center.
- Arequipa: from 9:30 a.m. at the union's headquarters, with active teachers, assistants and retirees.
- Regions: the strike was agreed at the 7th National Assembly of Delegates, with representatives from the 24 regions.
Source: La República.
Will there be an indefinite strike?
SUTEP's regional secretary in Arequipa, Hamer Villena, told La República that the union does not rule out an indefinite strike before the end of the year or in 2027 if the government does not meet its demands. The strike comes in a busy week: the government is preparing Pope Leo XIV's visit (see the non-working days for the pope's visit) and the education minister announced that in some northern regions, because of El Niño, the school year would end earlier, in late November or early December, according to El Popular.
Frequently asked questions
Is there school on Thursday, October 29, 2026 in Peru?
Minedu did not suspend classes nationwide. It depends on each public school and how many teachers and staff join the strike.
Why is SUTEP striking?
It demands more education funding (6% of GDP), compliance with the collective agreement and regulations for Law 32581 on pensions.
How long is the SUTEP strike?
24 hours, on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
What is Law 32581?
The Law on Decent Pensions for Teachers, from April 2026, which raises pensions of retired teachers to the first teaching scale amount (S/ 3,500.70).
Will striking teachers lose a day's pay?
They may; union leaders themselves acknowledged that risk.
