{"id":17908,"date":"2026-10-13T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=17908"},"modified":"2026-10-13T09:57:42","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T14:57:42","slug":"panama-confirms-35-schools-destroyed-by-earthquake-reopening-plan-set","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/politics-government\/panama-confirms-35-schools-destroyed-by-earthquake-reopening-plan-set\/","title":{"rendered":"Panama Confirms 35 Schools Destroyed by Earthquake, Reopening Plan Set"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Panamanian education authorities confirmed that 35 public schools were completely destroyed by Friday&#8217;s earthquake, as officials continue evaluating <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/travel-transportation-tourism\/earthquake-damage-assessment-reveals-1200-affected-sites-across-panama\/\" rel=\"internal\">earthquake school damage<\/a><\/strong> across <a href=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/health\/22-year-old-fights-for-life-after-brutal-earthquake-injury-panama\/\" rel=\"internal\">affected regions<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meduca.gob.pa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Education Minister Ventura Vega<\/a> said Tuesday that a list of <a href=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/crime-safety\/is-your-house-safe-firefighters-conduct-over-800-post-earthquake-home-inspections\/\" rel=\"internal\">certified safe facilities<\/a> will be released before classes resume Wednesday, October 14.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The announcement keeps all public schools closed through Tuesday, October 13, while inspectors determine which buildings can safely accommodate students and teachers. Vega acknowledged that reopening will proceed on a school-by-school basis depending on <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Earthquake_engineering\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">structural conditions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"es\" dir=\"ltr\">Im\u00e1genes del Centro Educativo en El Cop\u00e9, provincia de Cocl\u00e9 tras #Sismo #Panam\u00e1 registrado ayer viernes. @MeducaPma https:\/\/t.co\/7787r28Pck<\/p>&mdash; \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\udde6 Sistema de Alertas y Emergencias Panam\u00e1 (@SistemaDeAlerta) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SistemaDeAlerta\/status\/2109013049948684740?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 10, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Earthquake School Damage Assessment Continues<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ministry has identified the 35 lost schools within their respective educational regions, but evaluation efforts remain ongoing. Officials are still determining whether additional facilities in the country&#8217;s interior provinces meet minimum <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unisdr.org\/we\/inform\/terminology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">safety standards for occupancy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;There are several schools that we have already certified can open; tomorrow we will announce them,&#8221; said Vega [Translated from Spanish].<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The certification process involves structural reviews of buildings affected by the seismic event. Schools that fail inspection will remain closed until repairs or alternative arrangements are completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/panamanian-minister-of-education-ventura-vega-1200x800-1.webp\" alt=\"Panamanian Minister of Education Ventura Vega\" class=\"wp-image-17909\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/panamanian-minister-of-education-ventura-vega-1200x800-1.webp 1200w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/panamanian-minister-of-education-ventura-vega-1200x800-1-150x100.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meduca.gob.pa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Education Minister Ventura Vega<\/a> said Tuesday that a list of <a href=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/crime-safety\/is-your-house-safe-firefighters-conduct-over-800-post-earthquake-home-inspections\/\" rel=\"internal\">certified safe facilities<\/a> will be released before classes resume Wednesday, October 14. Panamanian Minister of Education Ventura Vega<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Official Reopening Timeline and Safety Protocols<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wednesday&#8217;s planned reopening applies only to facilities that pass inspection. The Ministry of Education has not specified how many of the country&#8217;s public schools fall into that category, but Vega indicated that announcements would provide clarity for families and staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;We have 35 schools that no longer exist. Those schools were lost. We have them well identified in the corresponding educational regions,&#8221; Vega stated [Translated from Spanish].<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For schools in interior regions still under review, no reopening date has been set. Authorities said safety determinations will dictate the timeline rather than a uniform national schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DeadNjFjtqz\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DeadNjFjtqz\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">Ver esta publicaci\u00f3n en Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DeadNjFjtqz\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Una publicaci\u00f3n compartida por TVN Noticias (@tvnnoticias)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Regional Impact and Next Steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The destruction of 35 facilities represents a significant loss for affected communities already dealing with earthquake recovery. Education officials face immediate pressure to find temporary learning spaces for displaced students while longer-term reconstruction planning begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Parents and teachers across affected provinces await the certified school list expected Tuesday. The ministry has not detailed contingency plans for students whose schools were destroyed, though officials said regional education directors are coordinating responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Seismic activity in the region has prompted broader discussions about building code enforcement for public infrastructure. The Ministry of Education&#8217;s inspection process may extend beyond immediate earthquake damage to address pre-existing structural vulnerabilities in older school buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VhLQ5mWUEQY?cc_lang_pref=en&#038;hl=en&#038;cc_load_policy=1\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Panamanian education authorities confirmed that 35 public schools were completely destroyed by Friday&#8217;s earthquake, as officials continue evaluating earthquake school damage across affected regions. Education Minister Ventura Vega said Tuesday that a list of certified safe facilities will be released before classes resume Wednesday, October 14. The announcement keeps all public schools closed through Tuesday,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":17910,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[29,31],"tags":[2877,649,50,7461,7462],"class_list":["post-17908","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-politics-government","category-crime-safety","tag-earthquake","tag-education","tag-panama","tag-panama-education-ministry","tag-school-safety-inspections"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17908","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17908"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17908\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17911,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17908\/revisions\/17911"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17908"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17908"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17908"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}