Colombia readies 430,000 students for new school term and 40,000 for Saber 11 exam

Around 430,000 students and 20,000 teachers returned to classrooms on 6 July in 116 non‑certified municipalities of Antioquia to start the second semester of the 2026 academic calendar. The Antioquia Education Secretariat announced that school‑meal coverage has been expanded, transport services will resume from day one, an extended‑day programme will benefit 552 public schools, and a new early‑literacy initiative will support basic reading and writing skills.

In Bogotá, the District Education Secretariat is preparing roughly 40,000 eleventh‑grade students for the national Saber 11 exam. The "Saber para Ganar" campaign offers two free tools—Acompáñame Masterclass, delivering live virtual lessons in core subjects and socio‑emotional skills, and the Agencia Atenea platform, providing diagnostic tests and personalised study routes. Additional programmes target priority schools, with thousands of students participating in virtual and in‑person sessions, simulated exams, and university‑oriented learning camps.