Teachers of CETEG sought establishment of an Autonomous State Institute of Evaluation and delivery of teaching positions based on permanent inheritance. In principle, these points were put forward by the leftist Democratic Revolution Party (PRD).
Later, the deputy coordinator of the PRD bloc, Amador Campos, acknowledged in an interview with CNN México that his parliamentary group had failed to convince other political forces on these points.
In contrast, the legislation that was passed states that the government of Guerrero, in southern Mexico, will create the Institute for Professionalism and Educational Assessment, which will work with the federal government in reviewing teacher performance.
The evaluation of teachers is one of the key points of the constitutional reform in education passed in December, 2012 by the federal Congress. The CETEG opposes the measure because it considers that it places conditions on the right of teachers to get a job.
MV Note: Following the Mexican Revolution and the writing of the Constitution of 1917, rural normal schools, teacher training colleges, were set up across Mexico to train youth from rural communities to become teachers who returned to their communities. Holding a position was a "right", guaranteed upon graduation, and the position could be passed on to another family member when one retired or died.The deputies said they decided to pass the bill that doesn't "clash" with the federal reform.
The initiative was approved by 42 votes in favor and four votes against. Citing security reasons, the lawmakers met in Acapulco, instead of the state capital of Chilpancingo, because last Thursday dissident teachers seized the state capitol grounds.
"The amendments do not disrupt [evaluation], but establish that the assessment is carried out with support from the Federation (...) in Guerrero public education is vindicated, its being free is a first-order principle," states the document.It also establishes that Guerrero "gives full support to the federal education authorities for conducting the assessment of the educational system" in the state, considering such criteria as cultural, demographic and socioeconomic diversity.
In relation to the provision of teaching positions, Article 17 states that in the exercise of concurrent powers of the federal and state governments, according to the budget available, newly created positions for entry into the teachers professional service and for vacancies "will be subject to competitive examination."
Article 22 of the state law determines the directorships and supervisory positions will also be awarded based on results.
Article 27 of the legislation states that the state government will allocate to the education sector an annual amount "not less than that approved in the immediately preceding year, updated based on official inflation figures published by the Bank of Mexico", giving priority to the indigenous villages.
MV Note: The teachers were demanding that funds equal to 8% of the state's gross domestic product go to education.Article 65 states that it is the duty and responsibility of the federal and state educational authorities to maintain the schools, excluding the possibility that parents be required to pay any fees.
"Parents participate in the process of teaching and learning for support purposes only," it says.Up until Tuesday afternoon, CETEG has not announced anything about the newly passed legislation. Spanish original