On Education Day, teachers call for improvements.

Mariana Tokarnia
Reporter from Agência Brasil

Brasilia - During the past week, education professionals and civil society organizations working in the sector throughout the country held events, marches, strikes, seminars, and meetings with parliamentarians and the government. This Sunday, the 28th, on Education Day, the activities conclude, but the debate on valuing the sector continues.

The demands are based on three main points: the minimum wage, teachers' salaries and career paths, initial and ongoing training for education professionals, and good working conditions. Regarding the latter, according to a booklet distributed by the National Campaign for the Right to Education – an alliance of more than 200 civil society movements and organizations – of the public schools that responded to the 2011 School Census (99,8% of institutions), 46,8% have a teachers' room, 27,4% have a library, and 14,8% have reading rooms. Furthermore, 14,3% do not offer filtered water and 17,5% do not have restrooms inside the school building.

According to a survey conducted by the organization, teachers' salaries are 38% lower than those of other professionals with complete or incomplete higher education. Among 47 professions, that of elementary school teacher in the initial grades ranks 31st, with an average salary of R$ 1.454, less than what real estate agents (R$ 2.291), bank tellers (R$ 1.709) and corporals and soldiers of the military police (R$ 1.744) earned on average.

The salary is protected by the National Minimum Wage Law for Public School Teachers. According to the current law, the national minimum wage for basic education teachers is R$ 1.567 and must be paid as salary. However, according to the National Confederation of Education Workers (CNTE), only the Federal District and four states (Acre, Ceará, Pernambuco, and Tocantins) fully comply with the law.

Compliance with the law, among other demands, led 22 states to join the strike proposed by CNTE. From April 23rd to 25th, teachers from the state and municipal public education systems across the country went on strike for better working conditions. Two states, São Paulo and Maranhão, remain on strike.

All the activity had results, one of which was the establishment of a Joint Committee for Monitoring and Oversight of Public Policies, which will have education as its first item on the agenda. The presidents of the Senate, Renan Calheiros (PMDB-AL), and the Chamber of Deputies, Henrique Eduardo Alves (PMDB-RN), made this commitment. Renan Calheiros also stated that he will personally oversee the schedule for discussion and voting on the National Education Plan (PNE), which is currently in the Senate.

"Teachers and other education professionals are fundamental elements for fulfilling the constitutional right to quality education in the country. With the devaluation that has been taking place, the social and salary devaluation, those who graduate in pedagogy end up not wanting to pursue a teaching career," says Iracema Nascimento, executive coordinator of the National Campaign for the Right to Education.

The president of CNTE, Roberto Leão, says that a teaching career is not attractive to young people. "Teachers work very hard and their working hours are not respected, preventing them from living with reasonable dignity." In a statement released to the press, CNTE reports that more strikes will occur throughout the country due to non-compliance with the Minimum Wage Law.

Edited by: Talita Cavalcante