This morning, on the Buenos Días Región program of Polar Comunicaciones, the national president of the Teachers' College, Mario Aguilar Arévalo, addressed two issues that concern the union: the reduction of the education budget and the increase in violence in educational institutions. Regarding the budget adjustment, Aguilar expressed his concern, stating that “there are very worrying signs in the first month of government, and we hope they can be modified. ” In this regard, he criticized the 3% decrease in resources allocated to the sector, indicating that “the 3% reduction in the education budget is already very tight and even deficit, the example of Magallanes shows that there have been financing problems.
” The leader emphasized that this situation directly affects the Local Public Education Services (SLEP), asserting that “most SLEPs have serious budgetary problems, issues with salary payments; Magallanes has a deficit issue inherited, but for that reason, one cannot economically suffocate, reducing by another 3% is absolutely alarming, and we continue to insist that this measure must be reversed. ” He also warned about the concrete consequences of this measure, stating that “the reduction means firing teachers, fewer material resources, etc. ” On the issue of school coexistence, Aguilar recalled that the union has been warning for years about the deterioration in educational environments.
“For some time now, we have been discussing and alerting about these issues, providing solutions; the coexistence law that was enacted in January of this year was one of our demands following the suicide of a teacher due to threats,” he affirmed. In this context, he lamented that violent incidents have escalated to extreme situations, mentioning that “an education worker lost her life while performing her educational duties; I don’t know what else has to happen, do more people have to die? The young man who killed the inspector intended to harm more people.
” Finally, the union president questioned the approach of the measures announced by the government, indicating that while some actions are necessary, they do not address the root problem. “In all the measures announced by the government, while it is true that some are necessary, such as access control and police patrols in schools, that’s fine, but that is not the core issue; it does not go to the root,” adding that “none of the measures proposed by the government have mentioned the concept of mental health even once. ” In this sense, he reiterated that addressing the crisis in educational institutions must consider structural factors, emphasizing mental health as a central axis to confront the growing conflict in the educational system.