PERU · POLITICS
Key Facts
- —What happened President Keiko Fujimori presented school discipline guidelines on Monday.
- —The core change Expulsion returns for students who commit very serious offences.
- —The structure Offences are graded as minor, serious or very serious.
- —The numbers School violence reports reached 4,759 in September, up 70.6%.
- —The US parallel Washington ordered new school discipline guidance in April 2025.
- —Still open The legal instrument and the date it takes effect are unknown.
Peru’s conservative government wants schools to expel the most disruptive students again. The plan echoes the push for stricter school discipline in the United States.
Peru’s President Keiko Fujimori presented school discipline guidelines on Monday, 12 October, that would revive expulsions for the gravest offences. The move mirrors a US debate that led to a White House order on school discipline in April 2025.
Andina, Peru’s state news agency, reported that Fujimori said order “must also return to the schools.” She added that the government would not accept bullying, school violence or sexual harassment.
What the School Discipline Guidelines Say
The document is called the Guidelines for the Management of School Discipline, according to Andina. It sets duties for principals, teachers, parents and the regional and local education offices that run Peru’s public schools.
Offences are graded as minor, serious or very serious, with sanctions meant to be proportional to each level. Separation or expulsion of a student is among the possible measures for the most serious cases.
Teachers would regain authority to correct and guide students, and a conduct grade would return. Students are urged to report incidents to a teacher or the principal.
Those accused of abuse would be referred to the Public Ministry, Peru’s independent prosecution service. Victims should not be forced to leave their school, Andina reported.
The government also says no expelled student may be left without schooling. Andina lists reinsertion schools, hybrid classrooms, community centres and psychological support as options.
Why Peru Is Acting Now
Fujimori leads Fuerza Popular, a conservative party that campaigned on law and order. During her campaign she proposed large prisons modelled on El Salvador’s.
Reports of school violence have climbed sharply this year. The education ministry’s SíseVe system logged 4,759 reports in September, up 70.6% from 2,789 a year earlier, RPP reported.
From January to September, the system logged 16,550 reports, up 24.9% on the same period of 2025. RPP noted that the system counts reports, not unique cases, so one incident can appear more than once.
The push followed an abuse case at the Liceo Naval Almirante Guise, a navy-run school in Lima, in September. Education Minister José Antonio Chang then announced a protocol to expel students for serious misconduct.
On Tuesday, 6 October, Chang said expulsion “definitely returns,” El Peruano, the official gazette, reported. He said the draft would be open for comments for five to ten days and then take effect.
What It Means for You
For US readers, the plan follows the same path as Washington’s own policy shift. On 23 April 2025, President Donald Trump signed an order titled “Reinstating Common Sense School Discipline Policies.”
That order told the US Department of Education to issue new guidance on discipline and civil rights. Peru now joins a regional turn towards stricter rules in schools and on the streets.
American families who live in Peru and use local schools should watch for tougher codes of conduct. It is not yet clear how the rules will apply to private and international schools.
What Is Not Known
The government has not named the legal instrument or published a final text in the official gazette. It is not known which offences will count as very serious or who will decide on an expulsion.
No figure has been given for how many students could be affected. It is also unclear how the reinsertion schools will be funded or staffed.
What Comes Next
The guidelines take effect only once they are formally approved, according to Andina. Schools will then get a deadline to adapt their internal rules.
Monday’s presentation does not mean that any student can be expelled yet. The government chose to present the text publicly and open a debate first, Andina reported.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Peru announce on Monday?
President Keiko Fujimori presented guidelines for managing school discipline on Monday, 12 October. They grade offences in three levels and allow expulsion for the most serious ones.
Are expulsions already allowed?
No, the guidelines take effect only after formal approval. Schools will then receive a deadline to update their internal rules.
Why is Peru doing this now?
Reports of school violence reached 4,759 in September, the highest monthly figure since at least 2024. An abuse case at a navy-run school in Lima also prompted the change.
How does this compare with the United States?
In April 2025, President Donald Trump signed an order on reinstating common-sense school discipline policies. Both governments argue that teachers need more authority in the classroom.
Sources: Andina, 12 October 2026; Andina, guidelines preview, 12 October 2026; El Peruano, 6 October 2026; The White House, 23 April 2025; RPP, 6 October 2026; RPP, 20 September 2026 (all accessed 12 October 2026).
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error