After the Colombian Federation of Educators (Fecode) announced that it will go on indefinite strike against the education bill, the Unitary Central of Workers (CUT) joined the protest to demand that the initiative from Congress be withdrawn.
“The project reconciled by the different benches in the First Permanent Constitutional Commission of the Senate of the Republicon June 5 of the current year, does not correspond with the agreements signed between the National Government, FECODE, other union organizations and the student movement,” said the labor union.
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The organizations were against the amendment that allowed the presentations to be unified for their last debate in the Senate plenary, because they consider that the propositions that had been filed were omitted, without even being discussed. “Surprisingly, regressive proposals were included that completely distort the recognition of the fundamental right to education, such as the following,” they stated from the CUT.
Fabio Arias, president of that organization, signed a statement in which he maintains that the draft statutory education law that was filed “it incorporates a mixed approach to education, adhering to the logic of the market, clearly enabling the privatization and commercialization of education.”
They maintain that the aims and objectives of education proposed by this standard reaffirm the competency approach, without enabling curricular reform. Furthermore, “it restricts access to higher education for large populations with the most difficulties, by imposing meritocracy as a criterion.”
The CUT also opposes the teaching evaluation defined in the project, because they consider that it does not take into account factors that do not depend exclusively on pedagogical practice, which subjects teachers to results from international organizations.
“Denies the mandatory nature of transition, kindergarten and pre-kindergarten grades in public educational institutions under State administrationwith qualified teaching staff linked by competition, as should correspond to all areas, levels and educational modalities,” says the CUT.
In that sense, the labor union joined the Fecode statement to oppose the advancement of the initiative in Congress, because they point out that it goes against the fundamental right of education. Therefore, they stated that they support the actions of educators, such as the strike announced for June 12 and the different mobilizations.
“We ask the President of the Republic Gustavo Petro, the Minister of Education Aurora Vergara, the senators of the Republic, especially those from the Historical Pact bench, to echo FECODE’s request: “the withdrawal of the draft Statutory Law or its collapse, we propose the construction of a new proposal opening spaces for participation and permanent educational social dialogue,” concluded the CUT.
On June 12, teachers from all over the country will march in the capitals of their departments and in other territories. According to Martha Alfonso, director of Fecode, “the debates have to take place this week and until the 17th when this project will be presented, which we are asking to be sunk.”
On Thursday, June 13, assemblies will be held in municipalities and cities with the purpose of informing the teaching community about the points of disagreement with the bill. “On Thursday and Friday we will be working on assemblies in the municipalities, with the communities, and on Monday we will have a big gathering in Bogotá of all the teachers in the country,” said Alfonso.
On Monday, June 17, the mobilization will culminate with a large takeover of Bogotá, with the participation of teachers from higher education institutions and student groups. Alfonso expressed: “We know that other sectors are going to join us, for example students from some universities, higher education in general, teachers and SENA. “We are going to fight to sink that amendment that distorted the essence of what we had been fighting for.”
