The Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) has received 954 complaints from parents, in which they point out that teachers have not reached schools to teach or have not fulfilled the established schedule.
The reports were presented between last May 12 and 23, through telephone number 1503 and the Institutional Website. Of that total, 380 claims are related to the breach of class schedule, and 574 with labor absences.
The departments with the greatest number of reports are: Guatemala, with 131; Jutiapa, with 102; Suchitepéquez, with 84; and Alta Verapaz and Huehuetenango, both with 68 complaints.
The report of reports begins on May 12. However, since May 19, affiliates to the Guatemalan Education Workers Union (Steg) are in permanent assembly, which IMPLICA the suspension of classes to concentrate on a specific point in order to define the strategies that will continue in their trade union action.
The call to the permanent assembly is for an indefinite time and will remain until the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) meets its demands, according to leaders of the Union of Education Workers of Guatemala (Steg) in interviews with local media and social media.
This measure is an answer to nonconformity for the 5% increase for teachers and Q400 for administrative staffannounced by the Ministry on April 30. The trade unionists claim that the decision was “unilateral” and was not discussed according to the terms of the collective pact.
Scarce call
According to Mineduc monitoring, about 16% of educational establishments closed to participate in the Assembly.
The Technical Vice Minister, Francisco Cabrera, told the free press that classes interruption constitutes “an illegal action” and that the ministry is obliged to take disciplinary measures, as established by law. In that sense, minutes will be raised to the absent teachers, which represents a warning.
It was reported that the absence verification process is carried out, with the objective of Establish whether teachers have permission or if the abandonment of classrooms responds to a justified causethis prior to lifting an act.
The Technical Deputy Minister, Francisco Cabrera, indicated that teachers who are absent from their work without justification are exposed to sanctions. The Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) has a provisional protection granted on April 9 by the Tenth Court of the Civil Branch, which orders the union to refrain from carrying out actions that affect educational processes, such as blocking streets and roads, taking schools and buildings, suspending classes or executing any measure that hinders the work of the ministry.
Coercion and threats
The 1503 telephone line was also enabled to receive complaints from teachers who report having been coerced or forced to participate in demonstrations. In that sense, Deputy Minister Cabrera pointed out last Thursday that until that date about 50 accusations had been received against the Guatemalan Education Workers Union (Steg) for threats, pressures, harassment and illegal charges aimed at those who do not participate in the permanent assembly or in the mobilizations towards departmental headwaters and the city of Guatemala.
These are the complaints received by department from May 12 to 23:
- Alta Verapaz -68
- Baja Verapaz – 11
- Chimaltenango – 24
- Chiquimula -29
- THE PROGRESS – 34
- Escuintla – 55
- Huehuetenango – 68
- Izabal – 23
- Jalapa – 24
- Jutiapa – 102
- ´Petén – 22
- Quetzaltenango – 29
- Quiché – 63
- Retalhuleu – 15
- SACATEPÉQUEZ – 23
- San Marcos – 46
- Santa Rosa – 62
- Sololá – 5
- Suchitepéquez -84
- Totonicapán – 4
- Zacapa – 32
- Guatemala – 131