Monday, February 26, marked the start of the 2024 school year in Buenos Aires City and seven provinces across the country, despite rising calls for a national teachers’ strike.
A walkout was announced last week by the CTERA education workers union in support for national collective bargaining talks and to reject the elimination of the Fonid Teachers’ Incentive Plan.
Following the state school calendar, pre-school and primary classes started on Monday in Buenos Aires City, as well as the provinces of Córdoba, Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Formosa, Mendoza, San Luis and Santa Fe.
In Buenos Aires City, a total 745,000 students were due to start a new school year at the 1,247 state-run schools and 1,478 private schools in the district, according to the data provided by the Buenos Aires City Education Ministry.
However, some institutions did not open their doors after some teachers’ unions will join the CTERA strike.
Buenos Aires City Mayor Jorge Macri said over the weekend that teachers not showing up for work on Monday would not be paid for the day.
“Since it’s a strike outside the law, those joining it will be discounted that day. Those who don’t work don’t collect, it’s an ilegal strike,” stated Macri in a radio interview. “Out of the 17 unions in the City only one claims to be joining the strike, and thus there should be no problem starting the school year."
The school year will start on Tuesday in La Rioja Province, on Thursday in Santa Cruz Province and on Friday, March 1, in the provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Tierra del Fuego and Tucumán.
The provinces of Chaco, Chubut, Misiones, San Juan, Santiago del Estero, Catamarca and Neuquén will start on March 4, as will Jujuy and Salta. Río Negro Province will begin its school year on March 11, after an enhancement period from February 14 to 26.
For the most part, those districts due to start the school year on Monday opened as normal, despite strike calls from unions in regions including Córdoba (UEPC Córdoba Educators’ Union), Santa Fe (AMSAFE state teachers’ union and SADOP private teachers’ union), Corrientes. Mendoza (SUTE Educators’ Union), San Luis (various, including the UDA Argentine Teachers’ Union and the AMET Technical Education Association), Formosa and Entre Río (Agmer Entre Ríos Teachers’ Union and the Sadop Argentine Private Teachers’ Union).
Missing days?
A report by the Argentine Education Observatory issued this week highlighted that, out of the 24 national jurisdictions, only five districts will have a 190-day school year in 2024.
The study, prepared by the CFE Federal Education Council, challenges provincial education portfolios who claim they will meet the mínimum of 190 days in the school year this year.
According to the report, authored by Gustavo Zorzoli, Martín Nistal and Leyre Sáenz Guillén, only Corrientes, Buenos Aires City, Entre Ríos, Misiones and Salta will fulfil the requirement.
“The document surveys school days that have been officially scheduled by provincial ministries and their non-compliance, which may be affected by strikes, infrastructure issues, absent teachers, weather problems or other factors,” reads the report.
– TIMES/NA/PERFIL
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