Oaxaca teachers have announced that over 40,000 teachers and supporters will march Friday on the House of Deputies in Mexico City to press for the repeal of educational reform introduced by former President Peña Nieto’s administration.
CNTE union leader Eloy López Hernández warned that the teachers will not rest until the reform is abolished.
“We want to totally dispose of the law and see enactment of an educational reform that is not punitive in character.”
López said the union would not be placated with small favors or gestures from the federal government.
“We would like to clarify that the CNTE is not looking for [government] posts or control . . . Actually, the ones who have enjoyed those benefits are the SNTE [a rival teachers’ union].”
He called on teachers and education workers to join the fight and not lower their guard. However, he also said talks with the secretariats of the Interior and Education continue.
“We are still reviewing their proposals, but we have not seen any real advances or answers to our demands . . .”
López said the union will not allow lawmakers to pass a ruling without being able to review it.
Another CNTE spokesman demanded the abolishment of the National Institute for the Evaluation of Education — which the government has already promised — and a new one intended to replace it, because the union wants to ensure that evaluation does not remain as an administrative theme.
The CNTE has been bitterly opposed to the concept of evaluation since it was introduced with the education reforms.
Meetings between the CNTE and government officials this week concluded without reaching an accord. Congressman Mario Delgado said the federal government will continue working with the teachers’ union until all parties arrive at a satisfactory agreement.
An agreement to negotiate was reached last week, ending a blockade of the San Lázaro legislative precinct in the capital.
The CNTE represents an estimated 100,000 teachers in Mexico, about 10% of the total. Its rival, the SNTE, has had little to say about the new reforms, but welcomed the repeal of the previous ones — which it welcomed in 2013.
Source: Milenio (sp)
