MEXICO CITY — Interior Secretary Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong announced that an agreement was reached with members of the National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE) to establish three working groups to resolve the ongoing conflict over the education reform.
In a message to the media, Osorio Chong said that the working groups will meet July 13, 19, and 21 to discuss political, educational and social issues, respectively. The working groups aim to restore order in the states most impacted by the teachers strikes: Chiapas, Oaxaca and Guerrero.
The federal government hopes that the three working groups will provide appropriate spaces to discuss all of the issues regarding education that have been raised during the teachers protests. The working groups will respect the authorities of other government entities in order to reach lasting agreements.
Osorio Chong said that each working group will determine its agenda and the specific topics to be addressed. The initial meetings will take place at the Interior Secretariat in Mexico City. The National Mediation Commission lead by Miguel Álvarez will continue to participate in the process to ensure effective dialog.
The dates of the first sessions of the working groups were decided after four hours of meetings, with two recesses.
Osorio Chong said that he would respect the right of the CNTE to meet with any national legislators they see fit. He also repeated his commitment to dialog as a means to find solutions to the education debate.
