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Teachers and regional governments protest new law in Peru

(LIP-ir) -- At least 17 of Peru's regional governments have protested against a new law established by the Ministry of Education, a law that requires teachers applying for jobs to have completed institute or university studies in the top third of their class.

Blaming the teachers' union known as SUTEP, the country's Minister of Education, Jose Antonio Chang reported that violent protests have begun and that several people were detained by national police breaking into government buildings and attempting to steal teacher exams in Puno and Chiclayo.

Chang also blamed SUTEP, which is led by Roberto Huaynalaya, for violently protesting as teachers were evaluated in several parts of the country.

Peru's minister of education affirmed the government was ready to fight for a better standard of education in the country, stating that the ministry would not give in to protests and strikes.

"We are willing to fight for educational quality. I do not have to fear teachers that are unemployed because they do not meet the necessary academic requirements and threaten to strike or protest", said Chang.

In a meeting organized and led by Yehude Simon, the regional president of Lambayeque, the regional government established that all teachers would be considered for jobs and not just those that had graduated institutes and universities in the top third of their class.

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# Ollanta Humala says :
13 February, 2008 [ 14:57 ]

Cell Phone Ringing: Hola, Comrade Hugo? Como Estas Mi Compadre? This is your puppe,---errrrrrrr I mean Comrade Ollanta. I have done what you have asked and cranked up another national Commie/SUTEP strike. This will be your,-----errrrrrrr I mean our response to this latest governemt demand requiring better public school teachers for the children of Peru. I have been in contact with our Comrades in Cusco & Arequipa, and they are standing by to cause as much damage to this countries tourist infrastructure as possible. So please contact your Personal Election Minister, Comrade Jorge Rodriguez, and tell him not to show himself in public so much the next time you fly him in. I in the mean time will still continue to claim denial that you my Comrade or Comrade Rodriguez are attempting to manipulate  Peru's next elections thus undermining the people of Peru.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0dKGASXA2Y
This is all for now My Comrade! Vivi La Revolucion!!

# Splaktar says :
14 February, 2008 [ 09:13 ]

Sounds like a strange law to me.  It matters a lot more how they score on teacher exams NOW than how well they did in university.

But still SUTEP is constantly causing riots and protests which are almost always violent and dangerous.  There needs to be some kind of punishment for unions who constantly encourage violent protest.  Hopefully those bum teachers who broke into gov't buildings will be in prison for a good while.