Francisco orders has 14 years of e Xperience in education, studied basic pedagogy at the University of Playa Ancha in 1999, with the distance mode and graduated in 2004. Jeannette Astorga studied at the Pedro de Valdivia University, graduated in 2008 as a degree in pedagogy and has 14 years of experience in the teaching area, that has worked in subsidized private institutions and professional institutes. Both are part of 3 thousand teachers who are prohibited from receiving the so-called bonus of professional recognition (BRP), despite his career and experience.
This silent discrimination has a timely explanation: all studied his career of teaching under distance mode.
The Education Act is in force since January 2007, and establishes, in its article 1, the creation of a professional recognition bonus “for professionals in education who perform in the subsidized municipal, private sector and” technical and vocational education establishments”. A bonus which currently reaches the 300 thousand dollars a month, a significant contribution to improve the remuneration of the teaching staff.
Article 3 of the law considers a series of requirements for entitlement to the payment of the BRP: “education professionals referred to in article 1 shall certify, in accordance with article 7, be in possession of the title of Professor or educator granted by one “The State Professional Institute or university or recognized by this, with a program of studies of at least eight academic semesters and 3.200 Presential hours of classes”.
“We feel that he is us you have discriminated against in a very unpleasant way, somehow we got to meet a looming need and we delivered the soul for what we love that it is educate and train. Nobody gave us nothing, they were hours and hours of efforts and studies, including with more effort and dedication of what would normally be in person,”reads a letter drawn up by this group of teachers that expose their situation.
The majority of these professionals were studied in the University of Playa Ancha, Valparaiso, a University belonging to the Council of Rectors, traditional, which in 1999 opened pedagogy basic career mode remote. “The race was created due to the low application of young teaching career, therefore, was an opportunity for those who had linked to the education of some form and would like to devote ourselves to such a noble and important task to teach and educate our children and young people”, added the letter.
The race lasted 9 semesters, 3 thousand 866 teaching hours. The assessments were rendered in person, as well as tutorials. Professional practice also had direct work in the classrooms, to be evaluated by a teacher of the establishment.
A teacher graduated from that House of studies, who requested the reservation of their identity, said that in August of 2017 was the last time you received the BRP for 232 thousand pesos. From September he left perceive him since the certificate of title says 3840 “pedagogical” hours, when it should say “face to face”.
Oscar Ahumada, who advises this group of teachers, highlights their professionalism and quality. In fact, ensures that evaluations which are subjected, usually taken off featured level. “All are active and they all take out outstanding in their assessments. Undergo all equal as the rest, even have more hours. “A normal teacher is 3400 and they have 3840 (…) have more knowledge, even as the rest, in the evaluations that are made once a year, it is going to be much better that those who studied in person”.
Ahumada adds that they have not received response of the parliamentary committees of education or College of teachers. “She wrote them and they have not responded (…)” “it has gone to the Congress, we have asked for discussions with several lawmakers, but there we are, we stayed in the bar until there arrived”.
For the President of the Association of teachers, Mario Aguilar, is a discriminatory rule that the State should take over. “We believe that the State must find a solution, because they in turn studied in programs that were validated by the Ministry of education and therefore by the State, and that discrimination is not justified at this stage.”
He leader explained that “those programs tended to disappear because had a questioning academic important, but in his time were validated, the State them validated and therefore, effectively today day seems like a standard discriminatory, because” Finally those titles were granted by an institution that is authorized to work with this program”.
These 3 thousand teachers claim is stipulated in the request of 11 points that the College of teachers is negotiating with the Ministry of education since April. “We have asked, in the request that we have currently, is incorporating some mechanism that allows these teachers access to the right professional recognition bonus, and so far we have not received a response,” says Aguilar.
A reality unknown to the authorities of the Ministry of education and in the Congress, this situation seems to be a reality unknown.
Consulted on the subject, from the Ministry of education only said that “recognized the remuneracional benefit that provides professional recognition bonus to those educational professionals that meet the law 20.158. It is important to remember that teachers must prove to its holder, in possession of qualifications and/or diplomas of mention that enable them to receive the bonus, which is paid proportionally according to the hours of contract “, with a maximum of 30 hours”.
On June 5, the Undersecretary of education, Raul Figueroa rooms, sent a statement to the College of teachers, in response to the request submitted by the trade union organization. In it, reference was made to several of the demands of professionals in education. However, at no time was made mention of the discrimination suffered by these 3000 teachers, requiring to pay them the bonus that corresponds to them.
This problem has not been discussed in the Commission of education of the lower House. Even the Member of the broad front (FA), Camila Rojas, consulted by El Mostrador, indicated in the first instance that the complaint has not reached them, but that “it’s an arbitrary discrimination which requires solution. Our policy on higher education does not distinguish titles according to hours contact or not. On the contrary, the own freedom of teaching both right to defend, set free to organize studies. “Is therefore not further discrimination, which the teacher did not like warn”.
Mario Aguilar also recognizes that this issue has not been addressed in the Education Commission. “We have continuously meeting with the Commission of the Chamber, by different themes (…) on this topic in particular not we have met with the Committee of the House”.
Despite this, Oscar Ahumada says that days ago met with Congressman Luis Pardo, who announced to him that it would expose the subject in the Committee and invited it to expose it, that in a conversation with El Mostrador, Pardo confirmed effectively saying that you agree with it in the coming weeks. “I hope to be able to receive teachers promptly and also some State universities have offered courses to qualify for the bonus of recognition, however those courses do not meet the requirements as set law, so here too there is a responsibility of the universities that have offered courses that do not meet the requirements that the law stipulates for later access the bonus, so I hope to soon be able to have both versions and to seek the formula that the same universities complement what is lacking so that these teachers are eligible”, said the parliamentarian.
Smoked also said that on Tuesday, August 7 he sent an email requesting a meeting with the Minister of Interior, Andrés Chadwick, and with the up to then head of education, Gerardo Varela. The petition that had no response, the head of the Ministry of education was removed and his replacement was appointed Thursday to Marcela Cubillos.
To the silence of the Government, they will call a meeting through the law of the lobby to try to settle this controversy which – clearly – looks like discrimination.
