Mexican Teachers Push for Overhaul of Education System: A National Consultation Aims to Reimagine the Teacher Career Path

The National Union of Education Workers (SNTE) in Puebla, Mexico, is spearheading a nationwide consultation to revise the existing teacher career system. Over 80,000 teachers, both state and federal, are participating in the initiative, which runs from August 26th to 30th. The consultation seeks to gather proposals for a new framework that would address admission, promotion, job transfers, and teacher recognition processes. This move comes in response to President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum’s recent announcement about the planned dissolution of the Unit for the System of Teachers’ Career (USICAMM), an organization criticized for its bureaucratic and inequitable practices. The SNTE, representing a vast number of teachers across Mexico, has been pushing for the dismantling of USICAMM since 2020, citing its shortcomings in ensuring fair and transparent processes for teachers. The consultation will utilize a questionnaire to gather input from teachers on areas requiring reform, ultimately aiming to establish a more just and equitable framework for teacher careers.