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Who controls education in Mexico?

The CNTE has created its own textbooks about Marx, communism and the Cuban and Nicaraguan revolutions

The CNTE is known for its blockades and demonstrations – Photo: Edwin Hernández/EL UNIVERSAL
06/08/2019 |08:24
Redacción El Universal
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For many years, groups of teachers have appropriated education in Mexico . Their leaders have prioritized the creation of political and economic power elites, instead of focusing on education and teaching .

Those who backed the 2013 education reform emphasized that one of the most relevant changes was that the government regained control of education . Nevertheless, the lack of consensus among teachers, as well as the focus on evaluation policies and sanctions prevented the reform from receiving total support.

For this reason, repealing the education reform , one of López Obrador's campaign promises, was one of the first actions implemented by López Obrador .

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Some sectors are worried about education going back to how it was back in 2013 and the fears seem to be valid.

Today, EL UNIVERSAL revealed that in Oaxaca , the section 22 of the National Coordination of Education Workers (CNTE) has issued calls and is implementing competitions to grant tenures , placement changes, and promotions but established a few requirements, such as having participated in at least 80% of the protests , blockades , demonstrations, and “other activities” organized by the union .

On Saturday, EL UNIVERSAL also revealed that the section 18 of the CNTE , based in Michoacán , is planning to distribute its own textbooks in 6,000 schools: 28 titles for elementary schools and 20 for junior high schools. The topics include colonialism and the plundering of America , Karl Marx and communism, the Cuban revolution, the Nicaraguan revolution , and monopolies in television.

All these actions question who really controls education in some areas, especially in places with higher social backwardness levels.

After the changes made to article 3 of the Constitution , it will be essential that the secondary laws that will be discussed in September define the limits for unions . On the contrary, the backwardness in regards to education will deepen in Guerrero, Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Michoacán, and thousands of children won't have the possibility to change their context.

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