Africa-Press – Cape verde. Teachers withheld grades from the second period in 40 schools, in the context of protests that have lasted for several months against the Government, complaining of threats that they are considering taking to court, a teachers’ representative announced today.
“School directors have been making threats. They are calling teachers into classrooms, threatening disciplinary proceedings,” Aleida Semedo, a representative of the protesting teachers, told Lusa.
Aleida Semedo said that if the Ministry of Education moves forward with disciplinary proceedings, teachers will respond with legal proceedings against the guardianship for “violation” of their rights.
“There is law in this country, of course we have to defend our rights. If they proceed with disciplinary proceedings, they have to explain the reasons and present the laws” that require grades to be placed in the system, he maintained, regretting that the teaching profession “continues without be heard” in their demands.
Aleida Semedo said that, according to the latest update, at least 40 schools from primary to secondary have already frozen grades.
The national director of Education, Adriano Moreno, quoted today by Rádio de Cabo Verde (RCV), declared that the Ministry of Education “does not participate in, does not feed extremism and radicalism”, that “learning assessment is a student’s right and the Freezing grades has no ethical or legal support.”
The official said that the “Ministry of Education will protect and defend the rights of students”.
Adriano Moreno said that responses to teachers’ demands are in process, some of which are about to be published in the Official Bulletin.
“What is pending is the salary issue and promotion which, as has always been assumed by the Ministry of Education, are in the process of being resolved within the scope of the review of the status of the teaching career and the consequent update of the remuneration table”, he pointed out.
A group of teachers announced, a week ago, the freezing of grades for this quarter until the Ministry of Education agrees to debate the demands that have been made since October 2023.
Despite union negotiations with the Ministry of Education, only “a minority” have been granted benefits, they say.
The majority of the class remains unanswered to demands regarding salary increases, promotions and subsidies.
The freezing of grades had already been admitted during a teacher demonstration, in the city of Praia, in February.
For More News And Analysis About Cape verde Follow Africa-Press
