Teachers' union congress extensive written material, which was congress.
International Viewpoint 9 February 1987
EL SALVADOR modified and later presented to the plenary session. A lot of people participated in the discussions, which were frank and very political. People had no doubt that the fault for the problems lay with the Reagan administration and El Salvador's Duarte government.
The demands for peace, social and economic justice, respect for human
THE FOLLOWING report on the congress of the Salvadoran teachers' union was published in the January 22 issue of Klassekampen, the paper of the Danish section of the Fourth International. BIRTHE NIELSON
Five of us from Denmark attended the Twentieth Congress of the Salvadoran teachers' union ANDES on December 1-3. The congress was held in a technical school. And although it was only a five minute walk from the international guests were lodged, ANDES made for security reasons, that we were taken to and from the gather-
On the wall of the school, there was a big red banner welcoming the foreign guests. It was a salute to us, and at the same time a notice to the government the congress was taking place and was being watched internationally.
"The very fact that we are here is
" said the outgoing general secretary, Julio Portillo, in his opening
"Two years ago we were elected by a few delegates meeting secretly three separate locations. then, we have overcome our fear. In 1985, we held an open congress, but this year there are more of us."
ANDES continues to face considerable repression. In the last two years, 17 teachers have been killed and 12 taken prisoner, it was reported to the congress. Ten were freed as a result actions by ANDES and international attention. Some teachers are constantly on the move to avoid the security police. Portillo himself has recently received a letter with a death
In all, there were 150 delegates, 40 international guests, and 90 guests from other organizations in El Salvador, as well as some other interested teachers and teacher trainees. They met for three days under the slogan, «We educate to build our own future.
"Through our work we can create a better society," said Julio Portillo, with people who respect human rights and commit themselves to democracy and national independence."
The congress was marked by enthusiastic discussion. But there are a lot of problems. In the course of the crisis, almost 2,000 schools have been closed and 3,000 teachers have lost their jobs. The government's appropriations for education are insufficient.
There is a lack of books, stationary, furniture and other things in all the public schools, and in some places there are no schools at all, despite the fact that the constitution provides for free, compulsory education. Officially the rate of illiteracy stands at 51 per cent. In reality, it is higher.
teacher's salary amounts to about one-third of what a family needs to live, and so a lot of teachers jobs. Over teachers have won a number of rights, such as pensions and health insurance. But they have to fight constantly to make sure that they actually enjoy these rights. Earthquake causes school closures
The country's only normal school has been used since 1982 as a barracks, and teacher training is now carried out in technical schools in bad
After the earthquake in October of last year, schools in San Salvador were shut for the rest of the school year, and it is doubtful if the will re-open normally on February 1. Schools that suffered damage have not been repaired. But another big problem is the fact that transferred their work to schools because their own buildings were wrecked by the earthquake. teachers fear unemployment if their schools do not start up again.
workshops at the congress, the situation in education was discussed, as well as the political situof the country, collaboration with other unions, union demands, a work plan for 1987 and ANDES' cooperative, COANDES.
discussions were based on rights and national self-determination were raised in many contexts.
Great importance was given to internal democracy. The election of the chair and reporter took a long time. The election of the new executive took several hours, because people wanted to carry out the election in the most correct way possible.
Despite its seriousness, the entire congress was marked by an incredibly festive mood. Representatives of many organizations visited the congress, making speeches and giving greetings.
In the plenary session on the third day of the congress, Julio Portillo announced that five policemen had
"It is not because there is any problem, but you should be aware of
"We can only be glad that the police are starting to take an interest the meeting went on. But they skipped a planned speech by a teacher from a guerrilla-controlled for security reasons. And at the breakfast break, people looked around before they talked to anyone. The police were of course in civilian clothes, so people did not know who they were.
In all, it was a fantastic program that ANDES offered us. Bus tours were organized of the areas hit by the earthquake, trips to the refugee camps and organizations. On the fourth day, the buses and the teachers went to the beach, where ANDES had hired a band that played dance music. In the midst of all this, a meeting was held on the beach, and the international guests were asked to
It was a very festive day, and we forgot about the grave situation in the country. But that was always in the backs of the minds of the ANDES who had seen the military break up similar gatherings in the past. And on the way home they were careful to see that the buses left
For us Danes, the ANDES conintense experience Words such as freedom, democracy and solidarity, which can seem rather trite in our country, took on a new meaning in the sharp conflict in El Salvador. And we would recommend that other people go when ANDES sends out invitations again to its
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