Uruguay Education Minister proposes repealing law on compulsory schooling

Uruguayan Minister of Education and Culture, José Carlos Mahía, has proposed the repeal or replacement of Article 127 of the Law of Urgent Consideration (LUC). The proposal follows a Supreme Court ruling regarding a Mennonite community in Florida that opted for distance learning for their children rather than enrolling them in local educational institutions.

The Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by the National Administration of Public Education (ANEP), ruling that the Constitution grants parents a preferential right to choose their children's education, provided effective learning occurs. While Mahía expressed respect for the court's decision, he stated that the current regulation, which removed the requirement to enroll children in a physical educational center, is “an error” and contradicts Uruguay's historical educational traditions.

Mahía intends to draft a legislative project to be sent to Parliament, aiming for high levels of consensus to restore the obligation for children to attend recognized educational spaces to ensure socialization and pedagogical oversight.