In this guide
To choose a school in San Alberto, decide three things in this order: public (free), private or subsidised; how long a daily commute your child can handle in a district about 90 km north of Ciudad del Este (Última Hora (opens in a new tab)); and how they'll adapt if your family speaks Portuguese at home. Then visit two or three schools before the school year ends, which is when enrolment for the next year opens.
Public, private or subsidised?
- Public (state-run): enrolment is free, and the Education Ministry (MEC) insists families pay absolutely nothing to enrol or confirm a place. The parents' association (ACE) contribution is voluntary and can't be a condition for enrolment (La Nación (opens in a new tab)).
- Private: charges enrolment and monthly fees, and each school sets its own start date within the official calendar (La Nación (opens in a new tab)). If you want a private school, get the full yearly cost in writing: enrolment, fees, uniform, materials and extras.
- Subsidised: private schools with state support, which follow the official start date (La Nación (opens in a new tab)). Ask which contributions are charged and which are voluntary.
If a public school asks for money to enrol, the MEC takes complaints on (021) 497-555, toll-free 0800-114975, and quejasydenuncias@mec.gov.py (La Nación (opens in a new tab)).
At private schools, Law 5738/16 forbids denying students their mid-term or final exams, or withholding their grades, because of late fees; the school can pursue the debt legally but without affecting the child's education (Hoy (opens in a new tab)).
Which level does your child need?
Paraguay's school system works like this (UNHCR (opens in a new tab)):
- Early education (Inicial): ages 0–5, from nursery to pre-school.
- Basic school education (EEB): ages 6–14, nine grades in three cycles.
- Secondary (Media): ages 15–17, with a science or technical bachillerato.
In a small town not every school covers every level or both bachillerato tracks. With children of different ages, first ask whether one school can take them all: it saves two school runs a day.
When should you enrol?
In 2026 the MEC set classes from 23 February to 30 November (Hoy (opens in a new tab)); most private schools started earlier, on 9 February, according to their association (La Nación (opens in a new tab)). By late November 2025 several public schools were already enrolling for the following year (La Nación (opens in a new tab)).
In practice, if you want a place for next year, visit in October or November while classes are running and you can see a normal day. By February you're too late to choose calmly.
Does your family speak Portuguese at home?
It's very common in San Alberto. The first settlers came from Paraná and Santa Catarina (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)), and in 2018 Brasil de Fato reported that over 80% of residents were Brazilian or of Brazilian descent and that Portuguese is spoken in every shop (Brasil de Fato (opens in a new tab)). Paraguayan schools, however, teach in Spanish and Guaraní, the official languages (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)).
Questions for the visit:
- How do they support pupils who arrive speaking mainly Portuguese?
- How many hours of Guaraní are in the curriculum, and is there help for beginners?
- If your child studied in Brazil, which documents and legalisations do they need to recognise those grades? Find out before you travel to collect paperwork.
What to check on the visit
- Commute: the main road is the PY07 (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)) and many families live in rural areas. Ask whether there's school transport, its route and pick-up time.
- Heat: summer highs reach about 39 °C (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)), right when classes start. Check for fans or air conditioning, and water and shade at break time.
- Real costs: at a private school, ask for the full list; at a public one, ask which supplies and uniform are required.
- Communication: how the school contacts parents (notebook, WhatsApp, meetings) and in which language.
- Plan B: note a second school in case there's no place in the grade you need.
FAQ
Are there private schools in San Alberto?
Before choosing one, visit and get the full yearly cost in writing: enrolment, fees, uniform and extras. Each private school sets its start date within the MEC calendar.
Is enrolment at a public school in San Alberto free?
Yes. The MEC says nothing is paid to enrol or confirm a place, and the ACE contribution is voluntary. Complaints go to (021) 497-555 or 0800-114975.
When should I enrol for next year?
In October or November, before the school year ends. In 2025 several public schools were already enrolling for the next year in late November.
Can a private school deny exams over late fees?
No. Law 5738/16 forbids denying exams or withholding grades for arrears; the school can pursue the debt legally.
