At issue is the teachers' strike, which is now in its second phase, which started on the 6th of this month, with suspension this Friday, after the first one that took place between the 21st and 30th of November last, with progress being expected. for the third phase, from 3 to 31 January 2023, if they do not reach an agreement with the Ministry of Education.
In its request, the parliamentary group of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) stressed that "the longer the teachers' strike lasts, the greater the damage to citizens, communities and the country as a whole" , proposing in this sense a discussion on "causes, impacts and proposed solutions".
The request, which had 84 votes in favor of UNITA, was rejected with 114 votes against by the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and two abstentions by the mixed parliamentary group of the Social Renovation Party (PRS) and the National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA).
"As representatives of all Angolans, we have to understand that all professions depend on a teacher, be it primary, secondary, higher or trades, and, therefore, it is urgent to discuss solutions that are professionally dignified, socially fair, legally foreseen and economically sustainable", highlighted the UNITA parliamentary group.
For the UNITA deputies, "these issues must be urgently discussed, in the representative house of all Angolans, in the sense of having permanent dialogue and proposing lasting solutions".
According to the National Union of Teachers (Sinprof), the claim booklet was delivered to the employer in 2019, from then until the present date, the demands of the affiliates have not been met, who adhered to about 100 percent of the strike.
The claim booklet contains 15 points, which demand the abolition of mono-teaching, distribution of school lunches throughout the country, updating teachers of the second academic level and length of service, payment of subsidies and management and leadership positions, payment in full and not in half of the 13th month and the holiday subsidy and the regularization of the situation of teachers in the categories of the general regime.
Teachers also intend to reduce the Employment Income Tax (IRT) and its exemption in all subsidies, review the career status of education agents, change the remuneration status and subsidies of education agents according to the salary proposal presented by Sinprof and the reinstatement of union leaders in performance evaluation committees.
The non-compulsory use of overalls, more public tenders for access to comply with the teacher-student ratio, improvements in school infrastructure and the non-commodification of education in Angola, where there are more private schools than public schools, are also on the list of claims.
