Africa-Press – Cape verde. considers that the President of the Republic acted correctly in vetoing the Teaching Staff Statute, claiming that the diploma sent by the government violates the Basic Law of the Education System and harms the acquired rights of teachers. The party argues that the government should return to the negotiating table to find a solution that meets the just demands of the teaching profession and restores labor peace in the education sector.
In a press conference, given by the general secretary of the PAICV, Julião Varela, the PAICV expressed support for the President of the Republic’s veto of the Teaching Staff Statute, stating that the decision was correct given the violations that the diploma represents for the acquired rights of teachers.
According to the PAICV, the document prepared and approved by the government in the Council of Ministers, and subsequently sent for promulgation, is at odds with the Basic Law of the Education System (LBSE) and would have profound negative consequences for the teaching profession.
“The legislation submitted for approval violates the basic law to which it is subject and should be limited to development, without exceeding the limits established by the law itself. By advancing a legislation that clearly infringes the fundamental provisions governing the education system, the government not only demonstrates a serious failure to respect the current legal system, but also compromises legal certainty and the balance of teachers’ rights. This legislation goes beyond what is permitted by the Basic Law, creating new obligations and limitations that were not foreseen in the current legal framework, which is unacceptable in a State governed by the rule of law”, stressed the PAICV.
The party pointed out that the new Statute would remove about half of the teachers from the Special Career regime, transferring them to the general regime. This measure, according to the PAICV, introduces discrimination that devalues professionals with years of service and training appropriate for teaching. Furthermore, the increase in workload proposed by the government would eliminate the subsidy for not reducing workload, further harming teachers’ working conditions by reducing the time available for research and lesson preparation.
Another critical point raised by the PAICV refers to the union consultation carried out by the government, which was classified as a “sham consultation”. The party accuses the government of having conducted the process inadequately, without transparency and without providing the unions with the opportunity to make a well-founded assessment of the diploma. The PAICV argues that, despite the criticisms and suggestions presented by the unions, the government went ahead with a document that not only compromises teachers’ rights, but also violates constitutional principles.
“This diploma represents an unacceptable step backwards in relation to the Teaching Career Statute still in force”, stated the party, emphasizing that the current statute, in line with the Basic Law, recognizes various qualifications as suitable for teaching, not limiting the qualification to a bachelor’s degree. This change proposed by the government, to consider only a bachelor’s degree as an adequate qualification, directly contradicts relevant provisions of the LBSE, generating legal uncertainty and devaluing professionals.
For all these reasons, the PAICV considers that the President of the Republic “did the right thing” in vetoing the diploma, recognizing that there were a number of legal and merit issues that were not duly observed by the government. “There is clear evidence that the document sent for promulgation did not observe the enabling legal norm par excellence and violated hierarchically superior norms contained in the Basic Law of the Education System”, stated the party in its official communication.
The PAICV concludes by calling on the government to return to the negotiating table with the unions and representatives of the teaching profession, demonstrating humility and openness to correct the mistakes made and seek a solution that respects the rights legitimately acquired by teachers. “It is essential that labor peace be reestablished in the education sector, which will only be possible with a frank dialogue committed to justice for the teaching profession,” the party said, reinforcing the need for an understanding that truly values education professionals in Cape Verde.
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