The teachers’ strike in Zacatecas has entered its third week, leaving approximately 50,000 elementary school students without classes, after teachers from Section 58 of the SNTE (National Union of Education Workers) suspended work on November 24. The protest is affecting more than 500 schools in various municipalities across the state, primarily in municipal capitals.
The teachers are keeping schools closed and have occupied buildings belonging to the Zacatecas State Education Secretariat (Seduzac) as a pressure tactic to demand transparency in the federalization of the education payroll and clarity regarding the impact on pensions and labor rights.
Teachers’ strike in Zacatecas affects more than 500 schools. Since the start of the strike, thousands of students have remained at home without classes, assignments, or academic support. Parents warn that the educational gap is becoming evident, as in most cases there is no communication with teachers or remote learning activities.
Parents point out that the school year is progressing and uncertainty is growing about when teachers will return to the classrooms, especially as the school year nears its end.
“We’re already in the third week of December… we don’t know if the teachers are coming back yet,” said Miriam Ramírez, a parent.
In addition to the academic impact, parents report changes in their children’s behavior due to the time without classes and the disruption of social interaction with their classmates and routines that occurred before the teachers’ strike.
“It definitely affects them a lot, especially their studies, their learning, and their ability to socialize with their classmates,” said Alfredo Herrera, one of the affected parents.
While they express respect for the teachers’ union’s struggle, they insist that the right to education must be guaranteed and that the conflict cannot continue without a clear solution for the students.
“The teachers are demanding their rights, and they are respected and all, but what about the children? Where is the children’s right to education? It’s being thrown away,” said Miriam Ramírez, a mother.
Government calls for return to classes, union accuses union of breaking off negotiations.
So far, the Zacatecas State Education Secretariat (Seduzac) has not announced what strategies it will implement to address the educational gaps of students affected by the strike. This lack of information has increased concern among parents.
For its part, the Zacatecas government issued a statement calling on teachers to return to classes and assuring that it is open to dialogue. However, unionized teachers claim that the authorities broke off negotiations, so the teachers’ strike in the state continues without a set end date and, consequently, without a return to classrooms.
Source: unotv
