As a pressure measure towards the education authorities, this Monday, June 16, the teachers affiliated with the Union of Education Workers of Guatemala (Steg) blocked some streets of the capital area 1. The measure adds to camp they installed in the Plaza de la Constitución Since last May 26.
These actions They keep 300 thousand children away from the classrooms, since since May 19 the trade unionists decided to enter the permanent assembly, With what until this Tuesday there are 22 days of lost classes, which worries civil society organizations that consider such acts as a brake in education, and even more, when next week the half -year rest begins. According to the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC), 16% of public schools agreed the Steg strike.
MINEDUC monitoring indicates that this Monday unionized masters entered the capital Mainly from Huehuetenango, to support protests, this is the department where there are more closed schools. Through the monitoring in social networks it was evidenced that in the mobilization this Monday there are also teachers who arrived from Dolores Petén, this, thanks to the support of a former mayor.
According to Francisco Cabera, Technical Deputy Minister of Education, until the last Friday, 6,560 minutes had been raised to missing teachers, and the administrative processes that are regulated by law are developed. He added that the first sanctions to teachers will be established in the following days. On whether there will be dismissals of the trade unionists, he mentioned that they follow “a much longer process, but they are ongoing.”
Proceedings and amparos
The Mineduc has reported that approximately 16% of the country’s public schools are closed, which represents about 5,800 establishments, but, according to Cabrera, the data is changing, because the same centers are not always inactive.
To recover the time lost by the teacher’s strike, the vice minister has indicated that it is studied an extension of the school year in schools that have been closed, and that it works in a technical design to implement it, but this will be ended when the de facto measures have concluded and the clear of the total days of classes that have not been fulfilled.
The Steg leaders have stated that they will continue with the measures of fact until their demands are heard, and that a dialogue table is established to address the points they raise.
However, Cabrera refers that There are four dialogue tables with the Steg. For example, weekly on Tuesdays the Mixed Board meets, while on Wednesday the meeting of the negotiation commission of the Magisterium Collective Pact is held.
“The lack of dialogue is a mere pretext to insinuate that the Steg do not have spaces for dialogue, but there are and remain active regularly,” added the official.
He added: “We do not see what they want more dialogue. If what they want is to dialogue with other government instances should express it like that. But, with the Ministry of Education they meet several times weekly.”
It should be remembered that on June 4, the Attorney General’s Office (PGN) He informed of a provisional protection that forced the trade unionists to immediately depose the measures and resume work, despite legal action, teachers continue unemployed.
In this regard, Cabrera indicated that The situation is in the hands of the justice system Since the Ministry, with the help of the PGN, has taken the measures that the law allows, and there are current amparos.
Political support
A monitoring in social networks showed that the union movement of the magisterium led by Joviel Acevedo, has had the support of some politicians.
Highlights the visit on June 9, Rony Vitalino Galicia Herrera, mayor of the municipality of San Pedro Necta, in Huehuetenango, to the camp that the trade unionists maintain in the Plaza de la Constitución. He arrived with food baskets and 1,800 tamales to distribute among the protesters They have spent the night in place.
The mayor was contacted and indicated that as part of his function he supports the teachers of his municipality, as he does with other people in different causes. He referred to ignore the requests for which the teachers are unemployed, but hopes they listen to them. “In the end what I want is for children to return to schools,” he said and says he pose the foods he led to camping.
Another of the politicians who has collaborated with the Steg movement is the former mayor of Dolores, Petén, Marvin Cruz, who, according to Facebook publications, He lent a truck so that on Monday the teachers travel to the capital. It was tried to know the reason why it supports the union, but did not respond to telephone calls.
Against
The great national campaign for education and the inter -institutional table of educational innovation In defense of the right to education of children and young people, That they have been affected by the absence of teachers in public schools, due to the permanent assembly they have been developing since May 19, and call the authorities and protesters to guarantee the continuity of the school year.
On Sunday, STEG -opposed unions were against the suspension of classes, because what students need is “dignified and high quality education”, in addition, They oppose the collective pact to be negotiated under confidentiality and that the majority union is awarded as their own achievements that have been achieved by the magisterial guild, in addition they ask for “real” structural changes in the educational system.