Ei-iE

Alfonso Cepeda Salas has taken over leadership of the Mexican teachers’ union, a member organisation of Education International.

During the 47th Extraordinary Session of the SNTE's National Council, it was decided that Alfonso Cepeda Salas, General Secretary of the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación, would assume the responsibilities previously undertaken by the education organisation's president, Juan Díaz de la Torre. De la Torre gave formal notice of his resignation, explaining that his decision was made for the good of the union and the education system at large, his goal being to contribute to the country’s “fourth national transformation”.

In his speech, Cepeda Salas expressed his wish to incorporate the institutional efforts of the SNTE into the new political chapter currently unfolding in Mexico, announcing the organisation's decision to eliminate the position of “SNTE President” from the union's leadership structure. The duties formerly carried out by the presidency will henceforth fall upon the general secretary. He also informed the Council that union leaders agreed to promote, during the next National Congress, the incorporation of universal, direct and secret voting into union statutes regarding the election of regional and national leaders, with a view to strengthening the organisation's internal democracy.

Cepeda Salas is set to meet soon with the Mexican president in order to discuss SNTE’s contributions to the fourth transformation proposed by the government, as well as to address how to improve access to equal, quality public education for all citizens as a way of advancing national development.