Ei-iE

Honduran teacher unions have opted to join a general strike in the face of escalating violence in the country. Following the recent killings of two teachers, teacher unions have abandoned their previous compromise plan of teaching three days a week and supporting the national resistance to the unelected regime two days a week.

Teacher unions deplore the loss of student learning time but are equally convinced that an environment favourable to quality education can only be guaranteed by an end to arbitrary curfews and extra-judicial killings and a return to constitutional order.

Commenting on the ongoing crisis, Rosario Avila Coordinator of the FOHM National Committee for Prevention of HIV and AIDS in Honduras commented, “It is saddening that in our country the right of children and youth to education is being violated and moreover it is risky for children and young people to leave home as violence could flare up at any moment.”.

Reports from EI’s affiliates in the country, who together form the Federation of Teacher Organisations of Honduras (FOMH) and represent 52,000 teachers, detail a situation of ongoing repression by the army and police.

Avila highlighted the important leadership of teacher unions, “for many decades the teaching sector has been the backbone of the popular movement in the country, their commitment to the defence of quality public education and human rights has been a strong voice against corruption, inequality and social exclusion”.

While students were previously ambivalent to the teachers’ actions, in the aftermath of the upsurge in violence student organisations issued a joint statement voicing their support of the strike action.