Mexican education bill threatens powerful teachers' union
is the teachers' union's authority to dole out positions according to its own criteria - through inheritance or even sale of positions. "No more promotions for loyalty, (or) cronyism with union leaders," said Jesus Zambrano, who heads the leftist opposition Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD). "Let's have promotion
be based on teacher merit and professionalism." Poor education standards are frequently blamed for holding back Latin America's second biggest economy. While Mexico has made marked strides in educational achievement, its students lag other industrialized nations, especially in mathematics and science, according to a 2011 survey by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
LONG HISTORY
The reform is likely to pass Congress since it already enjoys backing from the major parties. But the teachers may push back hard against the changes. A former PRI grandee who broke with her old party before the
2006 general election, Gordillo was re-elected in October and escaped a recent bid by the conservative National Action Party (PAN) to impose more transparency on the country's unions that would have weakened her position. The PRI had strong ties with the union during the 71 years
it ruled Mexico before the PAN ousted it in a 2000 election. There have been mounting calls for Gordillo's removal as union leader but "la maestra" ("the teacher") has a tight hold on a small party the PRI needs for votes and it is unlikely to cooperate with Pena Nieto if his government tries to oust her. The reform, according to politicians at the event, includes
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