Defend the Organic Law on Education and demand real union participation in new regulations

The spokesperson for the National Front of Independent Educators (Frenei), Humberto Montero, questioned the official narrative that labels the Organic Law on Education as 'obsolete' and warned that new legislation cannot be built without the real participation of teachers, administrative staff, and parents. Montero reacted to the statement made by the President of the Republic in his report to the Nation on January 2nd, when he affirmed that the country needs a 'robust' education law and pointed out that the current regulations are 'patched-up' and outdated. 'The president says the law is obsolete, but Law 47 of 1946 was created by competent people who knew the educational system in depth and form. It is not a patched-up law; that is a derogatory word,' the union leader stated. He explained that the law has undergone significant amendments, the last in 1995, when school regions were created and the Coordinating Commission for Education was strengthened, an advisory body to the Ministry of Education with the participation of teacher unions. However, he affirmed that over the years, this commission has been sidelined by different governments. Montero also criticized that, despite existing decentralization laws, the Ministry of Education remains highly centralized. 'More than 30 years have passed and Meduca has not been decentralized. There is good intention, but there is a lack of methodology, content, and true articulation between the Executive and the Assembly,' he warned. Finally, Montero pointed out that the main challenge will be for the new legislation not to become another political experiment but a real tool to strengthen the Panamanian educational system with the effective participation of the teaching sector. 'One cannot speak only of the student and exclude the rest of the system,' he emphasized. He indicated that the unions are willing to participate in the process convened by the Executive and the National Assembly. In detail, it was reported that meetings with the Ministry of Education's team will be held on the 26th, 27th, and 28th, as well as working tables in the Assembly's Education Commission from January 30th to March 6th, where topics such as educational equity, quality, teacher training, and technology will be addressed. 'Right now, there isn't even a draft. This affects the system's efficiency,' the Frenei spokesperson noted. He indicated that different governments have ended up imposing their own five-year educational projects, often bypassing the Organic Law, with practices such as parallel contests, programs like Panama Bilingual, and appointments outside regular procedures. 'Every government arrives with its supposed experts and wants to reinvent education, but they hate Law 47 and violate it when it doesn't suit them,' he expressed. Regarding the announcement of a possible new regulation, Montero clarified that it is not about reforming articles but about building a comprehensive law. 'If it is going to be a law, it must be a new law, not a simple reform. And it must include everyone: students, teachers, parents, and administrative staff. This is just a conversation for now. Everything is managed from the capital.'