While the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo celebrates National Teacher’s Day on June 29 with official events and the delivery of a bonus of 1,000 córdobas, teachers say they live between surveillance, fear of losing their jobs and political pressure.
“There are two types of people here: those who are romantic and who say ‘yes sir’ to all political orientations because they continue to believe in the party, and those who only continue to hold on because of the same need that we have,” he says. Silviaa teacher who has been teaching for 12 years.
Since the sociopolitical crisis of 2018, basic education teachers have reported arbitrary dismissals, threats, harassment, transfers and the imposition of partisan activities as part of a pattern of control within the Ministry of Education (Mined).
In Nicaragua, the regime has radicalized political surveillance and party control against public employees. CONFIDENTIAL lists the main violations of the Ortega and Murillo regime:
Mocking the regime with “presidential bonus”
In 2026, the regime delivered a “presidential bonus” for teachers of the public system, which was distributed with the participation of Sandinista Youth (JS) structures. According to budget information, the amount allocated for this delivery—equivalent to 55 million córdobas—came from the Mined budget.
The bonus consisted of a single payment of 1,000 córdobas per teacher and was included in the “Personal Services” category, corresponding to salaries and benefits in the educational sector.
The delivery, however, has a limited impact on the cost of living of Nicaraguans. According to data from the National Institute of Development Information (Inide), a family can spend more than 15,328.35 córdobas monthly on food alone, while the basic basket costs 21,372.90 córdobas, which significantly reduces the benefit.
Although the budget data indicates that the bonus was delivered to some 55,000 teachers, official statistics from the Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN) indicate that the teaching profession has 48,686 positions nationwide at the end of 2025.
Teachers continue to work in difficult conditions and with poor salaries. The salary of a teacher barely exceeds 10,000 córdobas.
“Selective” dismissals of teachers
Since 2018, teachers have been stripped of their positionswithout justification and have applied measures that include salary cuts for “late arrivals.”
In April 2026, teachers from the Teachers’ Union Unit (USM) explained to the newspaper La Prensa that, before leaving for the Easter holidays, the directors warned the teachers that the Mined, with a list in hand, would apply deductions for arriving late. Teachers have explained that they do not receive overtime pay.
Regarding dismissals, the Mined has argued in several cases alleged “lack of ethics” as a cause for dismissal, although affected teachers and teacher organizations denounce that these decisions respond to political criteria.
Between 2018 and 2021, a total of 140 teachers were dismissed in primary and secondary schools, many of them without the dismissal letters explaining a concrete legal basis or a prior disciplinary procedure.
“You disobeyed”, “they have seen you in marches”, “the order comes from above”, they say to the teachers fired without justification.
In 2022, the Subsequent dismissals invoked article 32, paragraph 4 of law 114, Teaching Career Lawwhich guides the dismissal of the educator “in case of conduct that seriously contradicts professional ethics in accordance with the regulations of this Law.”
Watched and besieged
In educational centers, many teachers state that they refrain from saying or “speaking freely” about certain topics for fear of possible retaliation. Within public schools, they add, there is an environment of surveillance and control.
“I am one of those who prefers not to say anything (…) I participate in all the activities, but if something negative comes out of my mouth against the Government, they can even throw me out,” she says. Sylvia.
Other teachers have reported situations of police siege. In some cases, they reported CONFIDENTIAL that the patrols were constantly parked in front of their homes, generating a climate of fear and intimidation.
Faced with this situation, some teachers claim that they were forced to resign from their positions, while others chose to leave the country and go into exile.
The UN Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua (GHREN) has documented that the regime exercises systematic and widespread repression against teachers, journalists, dissidents and other sectors, which constitutes crimes against humanity.
Forced to participate in public events
Teachers were forced to sacrifice their holidays to attend the parades and walks organized as part of Teacher’s Day. The regime also forces them to participate in “house-to-house” visits in different activities such as promoting “life and health.”
In 2025, prior to the 46th anniversary of the Revolution and the events of July 19, teachers denounced the use of propaganda and political proselytism in educational centers in Nicaragua.
Primary and secondary school students also participate in party activities, just as if it were the national month. The propaganda even involved boys and girls.
In the State, public workers are forced to take walks, carry flags of the Sandinista National Liberation Front and celebrate until Ortega and Murillo’s birthday. Party propaganda even invades schools all year round.
Political indoctrination
In Nicaragua, the regime has turned schools into indoctrination centers.
As a result of the April Rebellion, on the last Friday of each month, teachers received “motivational talks” that “promote peace and reconciliation,” to reject “the coup and those right-wing vandals.”
“Their servils come to give their ridiculous ‘peace education’ talks when one cannot speak of authentic peace without justice, without freedom of expression, without professional autonomy. For example, when They tell you that you must promote the student’s gradeeven if he fails,” a teacher reported to CONFIDENCIAL in 2019.
The textbooks contain stories that exalt government action that exalt a cult of personality where Ortega is described as “brave and visionary” and Murillo as “mother of the country.”
Pay “substitutes” in case of permits
Although the Mined is obliged to grant “paid” leave when teachers or a member of their family is in a serious state of health, in practice this is not fulfilled.
The Mined, according to Clause 33 of the Collective Agreement, must grant up to one month of leave with “enjoyment of salary.” However, teachers have reported that these labor rights are restricted or conditioned.
The Ministry is obliged to guarantee the continuity of classes by hiring a substitute. But, independent media have reported that teachers are the ones who directly pay their substitute when they require a permit.
Old-age pensions suspended
In 2025, exiled professor Gabriel Putoy, a member of the Teachers’ Union Unit (USM), denounced the suspension of old-age pensions for retired teachers who were union members in the past.
Those affected were leaders of union organizations opposed to the National Association of Educators of Nicaragua (Anden), which supports the Sandinista regime.
Since 2023, through the Nicaraguan Social Security Institute (INSS), the regime stopped paying old-age pensions to any critical voice within the country and in exile.
