All schools in Baja California will shut their doors from Thursday, April 30, through Monday, May 4, giving students up to five consecutive days off in what officials are calling a “megapuente” (mega long weekend).
The Baja California Education Secretariat (Secretaría de Educación) issued a formal notice confirming the closures. The break combines several holidays: Día del Niño (Children’s Day) on Thursday, April 30; Día del Trabajo (Labor Day) on Friday, May 1; the regular weekend of May 2 and 3; and the Cinco de Mayo observance, moved from Tuesday, May 5, to Monday, May 4, per state government scheduling rules.
Five Days Off for Elementary Students
The five-day break applies specifically to students in basic education: preschool, elementary, and secondary levels. Personnel Administration Director Rafael Reyna Navarrete signed the notice, which covers all teachers and administrative staff at schools and education offices statewide, including Tijuana, Mexicali, Ensenada, Tecate, Playas de Rosarito, and San Quintín.
Government offices will follow a similar schedule, with state employees returning to work on Tuesday, May 5. Families should expect closures at public offices handling permits, vehicle registration, and other administrative tasks during the long weekend.
More Days Off Later in May
The megapuente is not the only break on the May calendar. Elementary and secondary schools have two additional closures scheduled this month. Friday, May 15, is Día del Maestro (Teachers’ Day), a national holiday honoring educators. Schools will also close on Friday, May 29, for a Consejo Técnico Escolar (Technical School Council) session, a regular planning day when teachers meet but students stay home.
In total, Baja California students in basic education will have four extra days off during May, not counting weekends. Parents with children enrolled in private schools should confirm schedules directly with their institutions, as some private schools follow modified calendars.
Mexico’s practice of moving certain holidays to adjacent Mondays, similar to the U.S. system, is designed to create long weekends. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the 1862 Battle of Puebla, when Mexican forces defeated the French army. In Baja California, the holiday is typically observed with school programs and civic ceremonies rather than large public celebrations.
First reported by Punto Norte and TV Azteca Baja California.