Mining protests cause shutdown of Patriotic Parades

The Ministry of Education (Meduca) reported “that after conversations and approaches with parents and directors of official and private schools the decision to temporarily postpone the official patriotic parades on November 3, 4 and 5.

The Meduca statement says that the decision was in response to multiple requests from the educational community who, given the events of recent days, expressed their concern about the safety and security conditions of the students.

In relation to the current social situation, where teachers remain unemployed in rejection of the mining contract, the Ministry of Education states that it has “the commitment to always advocate for a permanent dialogue, which influences hundreds of students to participate with enthusiasm in the celebration of national holidays and, as regent of education in the country, it will always respect the rights of the educational community since it will ensure the safety of all its members.”

Since last week, public school teachers have continued to demonstrate and strike, in protest of the approval of Law 406 that contains the contract between the Panamanian State and Minera Panamá.