With uncertainty surrounding a potential transport strike on Friday, September 27, several universities in Metropolitan Lima have opted to prolong the suspension of in-person classes and shift to virtual instruction.
Following the events at city bus stops this morning, where thousands of students and workers faced significant difficulties reaching their destinations due to a minimal presence of public vehicles, various educational institutions took precautionary measures to protect the safety of their members.
This action had already been implemented for Wednesday, September 26, in anticipation of a significant strike announced by the urban public transport union the day prior, involving about 70 companies participating in the strike.
The Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP) announced that all its academic and administrative activities will be conducted virtually until Saturday, September 28.
“Except in cases where essential work must be conducted in person and cannot be executed in this format. Furthermore, access to the campus will be limited to these specific tasks,” stated their announcement sent via email to students, faculty, and staff.
Regarding the San Martín de Porres University (USMP) —which initially stated that in-person classes would proceed without interruption, allowing some leniency for members to arrive— it has now also transitioned to virtual classes until Saturday the 28th.
“On September 27 and 28, all classes will be conducted virtually due to the transport strike. (…) Our university has implemented necessary measures to ensure that academic activities can continue smoothly while adhering to established schedules,” the institution announced.
The University of Lima (UL) announced that all classes will transition to virtual instruction only on September 27. “The evaluations scheduled for that date will be postponed,” the published notice states.
Meanwhile, the University of the Pacific (UP) also decided to halt in-person classes at all educational levels this Friday.
“Scheduled class sessions will be conducted virtually in coordination with the respective instructors for the different sections. We will monitor the situation and keep you updated on any developments,” the letter stated.
The National University of San Marcos (UNMSM) has also adopted this measure, announcing that in-person classes will resume on Monday, September 30.
The Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University announced that its academic activities will also be conducted virtually this Friday, September 27, to ensure the safety of its members.
The Ministry of Education (Minedu) faced widespread criticism for announcing, at 6:50 AM on Thursday, September 26, that classes in schools would shift to virtual formats due to disruptions from the transport strike.
In response, the portfolio holder, Morgan Quero, attempted to justify what was perceived as a belated announcement, given prior warnings about rising extortion and violence against public transport drivers, collectors, and passengers.
The sector head asserted that various ministries had reached agreements with the unions and that he was confident this mobilization would not occur, which influenced the decision made early that morning.
“We will not succumb to any strike; make that very clear. I urge the media to act responsibly. Let’s remember, transportation is an essential public service. Until late yesterday, there were several agreements discussed with the different unions involving subsequent ministers,” he stated at a press conference.
Transportation Strikes Prompt Universities in Lima to Switch to Virtual Classes
Given the uncertainty whether or not there will be a new strike of transporters this Friday, September 27, several universities in Metropolitan Lima have decided to suspend face-to-face classes and opt for the virtual modality.
After what was experienced this morning at the city bus stops, where thousands of students and workers had great difficulties in reaching their destinations due to the almost zero traffic of public vehicles, various institutions took precautions to safeguard the integrity of their members.
This measure had already been adopted for Wednesday, September 26, in anticipation of the major stoppage announced by the urban public transport union. Approximately 70 companies supported the strike.
Temporary Shift to Virtual Learning
The Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP) decided that its academic and administrative activities would continue virtually until Saturday, September 28.
“Except in cases where the work is essential and cannot be carried out under that modality. Likewise, access to the campus will be restricted only for such specific tasks,” stated their announcement sent via email to students, teachers, and workers.
The San Martín de Porres University (USMP) initially indicated that in-person classes would proceed, allowing some time for members to arrive. However, they later joined the virtual format until Saturday, the 28th.
“This September 27 and 28, all classes will be held virtually due to the transport strike. Our university has taken the necessary measures to ensure that academic activities can continue without problems, respecting the established schedules,” the institution stated.
The University of Lima (UL) announced that all classes would be virtual only on September 27. “The evaluations scheduled for that date will be postponed,” according to the published text.
Meanwhile, the University of the Pacific (UP) also decided to suspend in-person classes at all educational levels for this Friday.
“All scheduled class sessions will be carried out virtually in coordination with the teachers in charge of the different sections. We will be monitoring the situation and will keep you informed of any updates,” the letter states.
The National University of San Marcos (UNMSM) also joined this measure, stating that in-person classes would resume on Monday, September 30.
The Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University also stated that its academic activities would be virtual this Friday the 27th to safeguard the integrity of its members.
The Role of the Ministry of Education
The Ministry of Education (Minedu) faced criticism for announcing, just at 6:50 AM on Thursday the 26th, that classes in schools would be virtual due to the adverse impacts caused by the transport strike.
In response, the head of the education ministry, Morgan Quero, attempted to justify the late announcement. This was seen as insufficient considering that concerns regarding extortion and violence against drivers, collectors, and passengers had been escalating for several days.
“We are not going to play into the hands of any strike; let that be very clear. I ask for a lot of responsibility from the media. Let’s remember, transportation is an essential public service. Until the last hours of yesterday, there were a series of agreements with the different unions being discussed with the following ministers,” he mentioned in a conference.
Impact on Students and Academic Activities
The ongoing situation has raised significant concerns among students and faculty about the reliability of transportation services in Lima. Below is a summary of how the recent strikes have affected various universities:
| University | Actions Taken | Specific Dates |
|---|---|---|
| PUCP | Virtual classes | Until September 28 |
| USMP | Virtual format | September 27-28 |
| UL | Virtual classes | September 27 |
| UP | Virtual classes | September 27 |
| UNMSM | In-person classes resume | September 29 |
| Cayetano Heredia | Virtual classes | September 27 |
This shift to virtual learning represents both a challenge and an opportunity for students to adapt to new modalities of education while facing ongoing disruptions in public transport. As the situation develops, universities remain committed to ensuring that students can continue their studies with minimal interruption.
