The support programs for teachers and students of the public sector are maintained in the collective pact that the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) negotiates with the Union of Education Workers of Guatemala (Steg), after the issue was postponed for several months.
These educational benefits include the didactic suitcase – pedagogical materials for teachers who are delivered in two phases -, free, school supplies, school food and medical care for students.
During the demonstration of the teaching, on April 10, the union leader Joviel Acevedo indicated that the MINEDUC “is putting peros and obstacles” to education support programs. However, in Act 35 of the discussion of the collective pact of working conditions, on January 8, 2025, it is stated that these programs are maintained.
The first time that educational benefits were included in the agenda was on July 24, 2024, as recorded in Act 20. The Steg proposal was that, in article 62 of the collective pact, the union continued as a participant in the elaboration and supervision of the route map to implement the programs.
In addition, it was proposed to add other benefits, such as free connectivity in all establishments; Acquisition of teams for students and teachers; school dress for children and young people; drinking water in educational centers; Reconstruction and removal of school buildings; construction of 10 thousand classrooms; equipment in each school; Contracting personnel for cleaning and surveillance, and improvement of school medical insurance.
In this regard, the MINEDUC proposed that the writing be maintained as it appeared in the previous pact, eliminating the participation of the Steg and the school medical insurance, since it was repealed by a government agreement.
In the minutes it is also stated that Support programs are a legal obligation of MINEDUCregulated by specific regulations, and that these cannot be regulated in the collective pact of working conditions.
Frictions around the subject are evidenced because Steg argues that Educational benefits are the product of “union struggle” And, therefore, they must be regulated in the collective pact. He argues that these contribute to teaching work, since, if the student is well fed and enjoys good health, his academic performance improves, which facilitates the work of teachers in classrooms.
Final writing
Every Wednesday, in Chamber No. 12 of the central plant of the Ministry of Education, the meeting is held to negotiate the benefits and obligations of the public sector teaching for the coming years. Some sessions have been suspended and, in others, Joviel Acevedo has been absent.
However, at the meeting of January 8, in which the discussion of article 62 on educational benefits was resumed, the union leader attended, together with Rodrigo Eugenio Hernández Boche and Osvaldo Pérez Elías, as representatives of the Steg.
In Act 35 it is stated that the writing of the article remained as it appears in the previous collective agreement. Which is left is school medical insurance “Implemented by the government of Alejandro Giammattei,” because, with the change of authorities, it was repealed through the Government Agreement 36-2024. Instead, the School Health Program was created, in charge of the Ministry of Health, in coordination with the MINEDUC.
This program began operating on March 1, through a call center with telephone number 1528, to serve students of initial, preprimary, primary, basic and diversified education that need medical care. The objective is to refer to the 190 health centers, 174 permanent care centers and 11 Maternal Child Integral Centers administered by the Ministry of Health.
The MINEDUC absorbed economic support for families in the issue of funeral expenses, by a amount of until Q7 thousand 500.
Joviel Acevedo filed an amparo of unconstitutionality for the cancellation of school medical insurance, considering that such action violated the collective pact of the teaching. However, on December 12, 2024, the Constitutionality Court ultimately rejected the appeal And he firm the program adopted by the Bernardo Arévalo government.
In the final wording of article 62, the STEG was out of the elaboration and supervision of the road map for the implementation of educational benefits.
Discussion is still standing
The negotiation of the collective pact between the MINEDUC and the Steg continues. In the minutes that Free press obtained through a request for public information, it is stated that the issues related to the salary increase and other economic benefits were left for the end of the discussionand, so far, there are no agreements.
While Acevedo pointed out, during the demonstration of April 10, that the ministerial authorities have stopped negotiations, the Technical Deputy Minister, Francisco Cabrera, indicated in a press conference that the dialogue is open and that it works on a salary improvement for the teaching. On the other hand, it has been pointed out that the union refuses to review the articles of the pact considered illegal.
The union leader announced that the teachers will return to the streets after Holy Week, to demand that the guild’s demands be met.