Schools in Mariano Roque Alonso: how to choose the right one for your child

To choose a school in Mariano Roque Alonso, first decide between a public, a state-subsidised private or a fully private school, then check something that matters every single day: whether your child has to cross Ruta PY03 to get there. The city has 34 school buildings and 13 secondary schools (colegios), according to Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠. If you want a place for 2027, start asking now: public schools open enrolment for the next year before the current school year ends.

Public, subsidised or private?

• Public (state-run): enrolment is free. The Ministry of Education (MEC) says picking up report cards and enrolling or confirming a place costs "absolutely nothing", and that the parents' association (ACE) fee is a voluntary contribution that cannot be a condition for enrolment (La Nación, 2025⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).
• Subsidised private: receives state funding and follows the official MEC calendar (La Nación, 2026⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Ask which fees it charges and what they cover.
• Private: each school sets its own start date; in 2026 most began on 9 February, according to the private schools' association AIEPP (La Nación, 2026⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Ask for enrolment fee, monthly fee, materials, uniform and extras in writing.

Levels and ages

Paraguay's school system is organised like this (UNHCR⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠):

Level · Ages · Length

Early education (Inicial) · 0 to 5 · Up to preschool

Basic education (Escolar Básica) · 6 to 14 · 9 grades in 3 cycles

Secondary (Media) · 15 to 17 · 3 years (science or technical bachillerato)

If your child is starting secondary, ask which bachillerato tracks the school offers, since not all schools offer the same ones. A school that runs from preschool to the final year saves you a mid-way move.

Ruta PY03 and the school run

PY03 (the old Transchaco) is the main road and splits the city (Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). In May 2026, passengers were waiting up to half an hour for buses on the Transchaco just after 7:00, right at school start time (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠), and heavy rain can jam the road towards Asunción (Última Hora⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

• Prefer a school on your side of the highway, especially for younger children.
• If you live near the border with Limpio, Luque or Asunción, add schools in the neighbouring city to your list; they may be closer than one in central Mariano.
• Ask whether a school transport service covers your neighbourhood and what time it picks up.
• Do a test run on a weekday at 7:00, not on a Saturday.

When to enrol and when classes start

Under the MEC's 2026 calendar, the administrative year began on 10 February, classes started on 23 February, winter break ran from 13 to 24 July and classes end on 30 November (Última Hora⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). That calendar was announced in mid-December 2025, so expect the 2027 one around the end of the year.

By late November 2025, several public schools were already enrolling for the following year (La Nación⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). For a school in high demand, visit in October or November and ask from what date they take enrolments and which documents they need.

What to ask on a school visit

• How many pupils per class.
• Morning, afternoon or extended-day shift, and what happens with children dropped off early.
• Whether the school serves a snack or lunch, and for which levels.
• How it communicates with families (notebook, WhatsApp, an online platform).
• Support for children with specific learning needs.
• At private schools: what happens if you fall behind on fees, and whether there is a sibling discount.

If a public school asks you to pay to enrol

It shouldn't. The MEC asks families to report it on (021) 497-555, the free line 0800-114975 or by email to quejasydenuncias@mec.gov.py (La Nación⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).