Uruguayan teachers demand revocation of new degree plan

A collective of 3,545 teachers in Uruguay has formally requested the administrative review and partial revocation of a new degree plan introduced by the National Public Education Administration (ANEP). The petition, submitted to Codicen, argues that the "Plan de egreso y titulación de docentes en ejercicio de educación media" (Graduation and Degree Plan for In-Service Secondary Education Teachers) establishes an "exceptional regime" for obtaining a degree.

According to the petition, the plan's requirements are "substantially different" from those of the general teacher training system. The teachers' legal representative, Emanuel Rocha, confirmed the submission to El País. A separate individual has also filed a recourse against the measure. The plan, approved by Codicen last October, allows individuals with at least eight years of service in secondary education, a satisfactory inspection score of 71% or higher in the last three years, and at least 50% of a degree program to apply.

The petition contends that the legal basis cited by ANEP, articles 39 and 69 of law 18.437, does not permit the substitution of the substantial requirements of the ordinary degree pathway. It highlights "relevant differences" in the new resolution compared to the standard procedure, lacking sufficient justification from legal, pedagogical, and technical standpoints.

The teachers' union, Fenapes, has also voiced strong opposition. A recent statement from the union rejected the idea that seniority alone should be a pathway to a degree, arguing that "presenting years of service as equivalent to a training process devalues teacher training."

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The Fenapes rejects that seniority, by itself, becomes a titling mechanism (...) presenting years of service as equivalent to a training process devalues teacher training.