Sinaloa Begins Free Uniform, Footwear and Supplies Exchange for Students

A state‑run program in Sinaloa will start on 3 August 2026, offering free school uniforms, sports footwear and basic supplies to more than 481,000 elementary and middle‑school students. The initiative, announced by Education Secretary Gloria Himelda Félix Niebla, will run for at least four months, ending on 13 November 2026, and uses 1,121 authorized exchange points across the 20 municipalities. Distribution dates are organized by the first letter of each child’s surname, with staggered windows from 3 August through 23 August and a catch‑up period after 24 August.

The Union of Merchants of Culiacán, led by Óscar Sánchez Beltrán, warned families to avoid unofficial vendors and to present their vouchers only at centres bearing the official seal of the Secretaría de Economía. The merchants said irregular exchanges in homes, cars or makeshift stalls risk delivering poorly made or ill‑fitting uniforms and undermine formal suppliers. They urged registered providers to refrain from using intermediaries, ensuring the benefit reaches eligible families directly.