On August 28, 2024, SUTEP issued a public statement regarding its decision to suspend the seven-day hunger strike in four Macro regions. The decision was made to safeguard the lives and health of the union leaders participating in the hunger strike since the health of 90 participants was affected, with 15 individuals requiring special medical attention. It was also made after receiving a promise from the Minister of Education Norman Quero to address SUTEP’s demands.
Click here to read “The Peruvian Education Workers’ Union (SUTEP) has declared a National Hunger Strike”.
While suspending the hunger strike, SUTEP teachers and education assistants gathered in the Plaza de Armas to demand that the Council of Ministers, which was in session, comply with the Constitution by allocating 6% of GDP to education. During the protest, several police officers arrived and attacked the protesters with batons and pepper spray, causing several of them to faint. The teachers, education assistants and leaders were brutally beaten, including the general secretary of SUTEP, Lucio Castro, who was arrested. It was only due to the pressure of SUTEP members that Lucio was finally released after less than two hours of detention.
Teachers and education assistants[1] returned to the Plaza de Armas to express their indignation and protest against both the government’s negligence with education and the arrogant and violent action of the police against them. At the rally, Lucio Castro stated: “Repression and violence will not intimidate us. They will not make us bend. We will continue demanding fair salaries, more education funding, and respect for our labour rights. If they do not attend to our demands, we will consider starting a National Strike.”
[1] According to the government, “education assistants” in Peru provide support to teachers in their teaching and disciplinary activities, including extracurricular activities, such as working with families and the educational community. They also support the development of the educational institution, contributing to the comprehensive training of students.
SUTEP’S JUST AND LEGAL DEMANDS:
1. RESPECT AND COMPLIANCE with the United Nations High-Level Group's recommendations: "Governments must ensure equitable funding of public education and sustainable investment in the teaching profession, allocating at least 6 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)." Additionally, the government must comply with ARTICLE 16 OF THE POLITICAL CONSTITUTION, which establishes that the state must allocate no less than 6% of the GDP to Education, with a plan to improve education infrastructure and reduce infrastructure gaps and, finally, with an intersectoral plan to decisively address anemia and malnutrition among our school-aged children.
2. IMMEDIATE PAYMENT of $400 Soles for schooling and a bonus of $380 Soles to the education assistants hired in 2024.
3. RESPECT AND COMPLIANCE WITH ENACTED LAWS
a. Finance and Guarantee an increase in the salaries for education assistants starting in October 2023, in accordance with Law No. 31923.
1. Compliance with Law No. 32044, approved in June of this year, raises the stipends for PRONOEI promoters from $500 to $1,025 soles.
2. COMPLIANCE WITH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS AND TECHNICAL TABLE
a. Salary raise to the minimum wage for teachers in 2025 equivalent to $500 soles in two installments: $250 soles in March and $250 soles in November, guaranteeing the continuity of the policy of progressive salary increases until reaching one UIT (Tax Unit) by 2026.
3. INCREASE IN ALLOCATIONS for teachers and education assistants for payments related to VRAE, FRONTERA, and RURAL 2 and 3.
4. ALLOCATION OF A MINIMUM OF ONE BILLION FIVE HUNDRED MILLION SOLES for the payment of the social debt (30% of class preparation with court rulings in a state of res judicata). ISSUE the Regulation of Law No. 31495 ensures payment without judicial proceedings.
5. DIGNIFIED PENSIONS for unemployed and retired education workers (debate and approval of Project No. 4786).
6. Respect for Intercultural Bilingual Education as a fundamental right of indigenous peoples and IMMEDIATELY REPEAL all harmful regulations.
7. REPEAL BILL 8502-2024, proposed by the BLOQUE MAGISTERIAL (a teachers’ bloc opposed to SUTEP). This bill threatens the remuneration of secondary education teachers and seeks to reduce their workweek to 24 hours.
SUTEP will wait for the Executive Branch to present the 2025 budget to Congress on August 30 to confirm whether the Minister complies with his commitment to allocate more funds to public education and whether the government respects the Constitution and has already enacted laws guaranteeing the rights of education workers. Otherwise, SUTEP will invite more than 420,000 education workers and more than 22,000 education assistants from 55,000 educational institutions to start the National Strike.
SUTEP has expressed appreciation for the support and solidarity during the seven days of the National Hunger Strike for a larger education budget and the rights of teachers, education assistants, and PRONOEI promoters.
SUTEP knows that without fighting, there will be no victories!
SUTEP does not give up!