Indigenous Schools in Playa del Carmen Face Severe Shortages; Aid Campaign Planned

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Indigenous and community schools in rural areas of Playa del Carmen are facing severe shortages of infrastructure, furniture, and basic materials, prompting the municipality’s Indigenous Affairs Unit to organize a donation drive for school supplies, chairs, desks, and teaching materials.

César Uc Chi, head of the Indigenous Affairs Unit, said that since last year officials have been assessing schools operating under the National Council for Educational Development (Conafe), particularly in remote communities where children face precarious conditions to access education.

Municipal teams visited most of the schools to identify their main needs, finding cases where schools lack even roofs for classes, as well as deficiencies in access and basic furniture.

“Some small schools don’t even have a roof to carry out their school activities,” Uc Chi said, adding that they are working on priority actions to strengthen rural indigenous education.

The official said the campaign will be open to the public and aims to collect school supplies, whiteboards, chairs, desks, and other materials, which will later be distributed among the municipality’s indigenous schools. A formal call for citizen participation will be issued soon.

Uc Chi also highlighted the work of community teachers, many of whom operate on scholarship schemes without a fixed salary, despite logistical and economic difficulties in keeping schools active in remote communities.

He acknowledged that some communities face additional challenges due to distance and lack of transportation or urban routes for students, making it harder for children to attend classes regularly.

In response, the unit is promoting the opening of new community schools in areas where none exist, though requirements set by Conafe must be met, including that the communities be far from other schools.

Uc Chi cited cases where students attend barefoot and take classes on dirt floors, reflecting the marginalization persisting in rural areas of the municipality.

“We have Conafe schools where children don’t even have shoes; even the floor is dirt,” he said.

The Indigenous Affairs Unit accepts donations year-round — including clothing, shoes, toys, and school materials — which are then sent to indigenous communities through municipal distribution centers.

In communities such as Uxuxubi, requirements have been met to request new community schools from federal authorities as part of efforts to expand educational coverage in remote areas of Playa del Carmen.