Uruguayan education sector protests

Labor and student unrest has emerged within the Uruguayan education sector. In mid-August, education unions including Sintep and Fenapes participated in a 24-hour strike organized by the PIT-CNT. Protesters used the slogan “sin transformaciones no hay avances” (without transformations there are no advances) to oppose the Accountability Law project and advocate for measures such as reducing the working day and taxing the wealthiest 1% of the population.

Following these labor actions, teacher training students initiated protests against Resolution No. 3009/25 issued by CODICEN. Students from the Teacher Training Institute (IFD) in Minas and Carmelo have demanded greater professionalization and more meaningful dialogue regarding educational equity and certification plans. In Carmelo, students criticized recent administrative meetings as merely informative, using the slogan “No to cardboard titles” to demand higher standards for teaching credentials.

Protests have since expanded to IFD locations in Fray Bentos and Durazno regarding the ‘Plan de Egreso y Titulación para docentes en ejercicio de Educación Media’. This plan allows university professionals with over eight years of secondary education experience to obtain teaching titles through knowledge accreditation or by completing pending subjects.

Faculty in Fray Bentos argue that professional expertise is not equivalent to pedagogical training and that the resolution was adopted arbitrarily. Meanwhile, students in Durazno appeared before their local Departmental Board to reject the plan, arguing that teacher shortages should be addressed by improving training conditions rather than lowering standards. They stated, “We do not have to choose between quantity and training; we have to guarantee both.”