Mexico was paralysed Wednesday as thousands of teachers and
educators marched in the streets in protest against a controversial educational
reform bill. Thousands of members of teaching unions became furious with the
controversial move and they consider the bill a violation of worker’s rights.
The controversial educational bill was voted 102-22 that will
submit teachers to periodic and compulsory performance exams. Anybody not willing
to partake in the tests will lead to the person’s professional dismissal. Also
any teacher who fails the exams three times could be dismissed. Those in the
older ages could be given an early retirement from the industry.
This spurred the anger of the National Coordinator of
Educational Workers, or CNTE. They said that this was a ‘national teacher’s
insurgency’ and was not fair for many teachers, especially those teaching in
the poorer areas of southern Mexico. However, SNTE, Mexico’s main teacher’s
union, supported the new bill. However, some from SNTE also did not agree with
the new bill.
The teachers threatened that they will not return to
classrooms unless Mexican President Pena Nieto will negotiate with them
directly. The new bill could still be vetoed by the president.
The CNTE had blamed the government for poor federal funding,
which limits the capabilities of some professional educators in the country.
