Argentina suspends educational voucher penalties for tuition arrears

The Argentine government has issued Resolution 505, temporarily suspending penalties for families with unpaid private school tuition under the educational voucher program. Previously, schools were required to report two unpaid installments to suspend benefits and three installments to permanently cancel them. Under the new measure, these sanctions are frozen for the 2026 school year to ensure continuous financial assistance.

The decision follows rising delinquency rates in private institutions. Data from the Association of Private Teaching Institutes of Argentina (AIEPA) indicates that tuition arrears have reached approximately 11%, up from 7% the previous year. Officials stated the move aims to protect students' educational trajectories amidst economic difficulties.

The voucher program is designed for students up to 18 years old attending private institutions that receive at least 75% state subsidies. To qualify, family income must not exceed seven minimum wages. While the program is administered nationally by the Ministry of Human Capital, regional representatives, such as those in Mendoza, noted that local governments cannot modify these national conditions.