Teachers strike will start Thursday

The teachers unions calling for a  dialogue with the Ministry of Education (Meduca) and respect for labor rights confirmed on Monday. that a Panama wide strike will be held  on Thursday and Friday of this week.

 Meduca, in a press release said that "as a guarantor of education, we will take appropriate action to ensure compliance

 "We are confident that teachers in the country comply with the sacred constitutional right that our students receive the quality education they deserve and for which we are making every effort to update " .

Meduca said that the government has provided resources to pay  bonuses, upgrades, compensation, vocational and technical education and other debts. 

In addition, the National Assembly has approved on third reading the first stage of equal pay for teachers according to their degrees.

A Ministry of Education report released on Friday July 22, said Meduca and  the leaders of the teachers have met nine times in the last three months, but, union leaders say that in the past month they  have tried three times  to hold talks on the issue of labor rights and curriculum changes but talks have not materialized because of  lack of an agenda by the Minister, Lucy Molinar.