Teachers In Mexico Protest Over Education Reform

Striking Teachers Protesting

Although the school year was due to begin in August, teachers in the states of Veracruz, Michoacán, Oaxaca, and Guerrero y Chiapas are still on strike while in Mexico D.F. teachers are taking part in rolling strikes.

In February, the Mexican government pushed through a reform of Article 3 and Article 73 of the Political Constitution which established the National Institute for the Evaluation of Education.

However, the Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (CNTE) considers this to be a purely labour and administrative reform, not an educational reform, as it does not deal with the curriculum nor does it seek dialogue on education with the communities.

Evaluation and management reforms
The reform aims to impose a system of evaluation on education workers, covering their entry to the profession, promotion and continued employment in the workplace. The evaluation is based on OECD criteria.

The management structure of educational institutions is also being reformed. The union regards this as particularly damaging as it removes the Mexican state from the process of funding the operation of education institutions. Instead, the cost of operating school canteens, maintaining infrastructure, and providing services such as water and light will be left in the hands of education centres and parents.