Monday
Monday 26th May 2025.
May 25, 2025
The Ministry of Education (Meduca) insists that teachers return to the classroom on May 26th to try to normalize the school calendar affected by a strike that has now lasted 33 days.
Education Minister Lucy Molinar expressed optimism and stated that many teachers have begun to return to their positions after meetings with parents, who have reached a consensus on the importance of not missing any more school days.
However, the teachers’ unions maintain a firm stance and reiterated that they will not return to the classrooms until Law 462, which reforms key aspects of the Social Security Fund (CSS), is repealed.
Humberto Montero, spokesperson for the National Front of Independent Educators, stated that 95% of teachers remain in the streets, organizing marches, pickets, and rallies across the country. “We will not give up until this law is repealed,” Montero emphasized, also highlighting the support of parents, students, and other unions.
For his part, Fernando Abrego, secretary general of the Association of Teachers of the Republic of Panama (Asoprof), confirmed that the protests will continue and that classes will not be held tomorrow in most public schools.
“Even though the government is making appeals, we teachers remain steadfast in our fight to defend our rights and public health, which has been affected by the CSS reform,” Abrego said.
Minister Molinar reiterated that education should not be a victim of political interests and emphasized that the continuation of the protests seriously affects students’ academic development.
“I hope everything returns to normal as soon as possible,” he said, highlighting the efforts of some teachers who have returned, but emphasizing the urgency of making up for lost time.
Meanwhile, thousands of public school students face a troubling reality: over the past five years, they have only had one regular school year due to pandemic closures and strikes. In 2025, the teacher strike will again disrupt the school year, leaving thousands without classes for much of the school year.
The business sector, represented by the Panamanian Association of Business Executives (Apede) , also expressed concern about the continuity of education. Apede insisted that education is a fundamental pillar for the country’s development and must be guaranteed without interruption, as it is a key tool for breaking the cycle of poverty.
Former Supreme Court Justice Arturo Hoyos warned of the danger of attempting to ignore the results of the 2024 presidential elections, following recent statements by former President Mireya Moscoso (1999-2004) .
In an interview with RPC Diario , Moscoso stated that he had heard, in conversations with some deputies, about the possibility of impeaching President José Raúl Mulino and calling new elections within a year.
For Hoyos, this revelation confirms that political sectors, grouped in what he calls “the coalition of retreat,” are promoting a scenario of institutional collapse. “Former President Moscoso’s testimony confirms what I warned about ten days ago: there are political actors seeking to ignore the popular mandate expressed at the ballot box,” Hoyos stated in a public statement.
The jurist called for reflection on the serious historical consequences of the impeachment of sitting presidents, recalling episodes such as that of Arnulfo Arias in 1951, followed by the assassination of President José Antonio Remón, a crime that remains unsolved.
He also cited the impeachment of President Marco Aurelio Robles in 1968, which preceded the coup d’état of October 11 of that same year, as well as the case of President Eric Arturo Delvalle during the regime of Manuel Antonio Noriega, which led to one of the worst institutional crises in the country’s recent history. “These precedents should serve as a warning of the risks involved in undermining the constitutional order for political reasons,” Hoyos warned.
The former judge emphasized that the five-year term granted to Mulino through free elections must be respected and called on political actors to act responsibly. “I hope those who disapprove of what the former president said will reconsider. Our history and the constitutional order of freedom advise this,” he said, in a message addressed specifically to the new Parliament, which will be installed on July 1.
Panama District Mayor Mayer Mizrachi publicly apologized to residents of Boca La Caja and San Sebastián for his handling of the proposed zoning change in the San Francisco district.
“To my beloved Boca La Caja and San Sebastián, my neighbors, I want to say I’m so sorry,” Mizrachi said in a video posted on social media this Sunday, May 25.
The mayor acknowledged that there were flaws in the process, noting that the decisions were perceived as an “imposition.” He also admitted that there was a lack of communication with the affected communities, which led to “every lie that was told being believed.”
It’s worth remembering that the Panama City Mayor’s Office suspended the public hearing scheduled for Thursday, May 22, during which a possible zoning change was to be discussed, due to the opposition expressed by residents, especially those in Boca La Caja.
Faced with community opposition, the Panama City Hall ultimately decided not to make any zoning changes in Boca La Caja or San Sebastián.
It’s worth remembering that the zoning change in the San Francisco district included more than 11 communities, including Boca La Caja, San Sebastián, Paitilla, Nuevo Paitilla, Carrasquilla, Punta Pacífica, Coco del Mar, Viña del Mar, Alto del Golf, Loma Alegre, San Francisco Centro, Villa Lilla, and others.
What is happening in Changuinola is “not simply a case of ‘they don’t want to reason’”, but something much more serious: the union is being used for political purposes , leaving aside what is truly important – the well-being of workers – and ignoring what is dictated by law and the collective agreement itself .
This is the position of the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (Cciap) , in relation to the situation in the province of Bocas del Toro, after four weeks of labor protests and the decision of the company Chiquita Panama to terminate the contracts of 4,800 workers , alleging abandonment of their jobs .
The union emphasizes that, despite the strike being declared illegal , the workers decided to continue the stoppage, blocking roads and, in practice, ” kidnapping an entire community .” The CCIAP warns that, beyond the legal framework, the human and economic consequences are already being felt .
According to the organization, some 7,000 people and their families have lost their source of income . “The saddest thing is that all of this could have been avoided if there had been a willingness to comply with the law and seek real solutions ,” they lament.
The Cciap warns that this is not a new story , but one that the country has already experienced with Puerto Armuelles , in the province of Chiriquí.
For decades, this port was a symbol of the national banana industry. However, at the beginning of the 21st century, after years of social conflict and economic decline, Chiquita Brands permanently abandoned the district of Barú , leaving behind a collapsed local economy, massive unemployment, and a restructuring process that, to date, has not yielded the expected results .
“Today, Changuinola is treading dangerously along that same path ,” the Chamber notes, highlighting that authorities have presented concrete proposals to address the complaints arising from Law 45 of 2017 , which modifies the Organic Law of the Social Security Fund to incorporate benefits for banana workers and independent banana producers.
“But the response has been to close off any possibility of agreement. And that’s not how we move forward,” the CCIAP maintains.
The Chamber of Commerce says that the defense of labor rights is legitimate and that unions play a key role in that process. However, what is happening in Changuinola “deviates from that purpose” and “appears more like a political move than a true defense of workers.”
“When rules are ignored and confrontation is the norm, the doors to progress are closed ,” the business association warned.
Finally, the Cciap emphasizes that there is still time to prevent Changuinola from repeating the history of Puerto Armuelles , but to do so, it emphasizes, it is necessary to sit down, talk, comply with the law and build real solutions .
“From the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama, we make a clear and unequivocal call: let us not allow politicking to close the doors to progress .”
The Institute for the Training and Development of Human Resources (Ifarhu) has made clear to the public the conditions under which beneficiaries of the Universal Educational Social Assistance Program (PASE-U) may lose their subsidy. The entity explicitly detailed the reasons that could lead to the temporary or permanent suspension of this benefit, which is aimed at students at all educational levels in Panama.
The IFARHU has indicated that compliance with these conditions is essential to ensure that the funds allocated for education are used correctly. The reasons for the suspension of the PASE-U benefit are as follows:
Reasons for suspension of the PASE-U benefit:
- School Absence : Students must attend classes as stipulated by the regulations for each educational level. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the loss of the benefit.
- Expulsion of the student : Any expulsion of the student from his or her educational center will be sufficient reason for the suspension of the subsidy.
- Misuse of Funds : The PASE-U benefit is intended exclusively for educational purposes. Any misuse of allocated funds may result in suspension of the program.
- Submission of falsified documents : IFARHU has made it clear that any attempt to submit falsified or altered documents to access the program will result in the immediate cancellation of the benefit.
- Lack of participation by the guardian : Failure of the guardian or legal guardian to attend academic and conduct monitoring meetings at the educational center is also grounds for suspension of the benefit.
- Criminal offenses : Students who commit offenses confirmed by a final court ruling will lose their right to receive the subsidy.
- Transfer to unauthorized institutions : If the student transfers to a private educational center that does not meet the requirements established by law, he or she will lose the benefit of the PASE-U.
- Resignation by the guardian or tutor : If the student’s guardian or legal guardian expressly waives the benefit, the subsidy will be suspended.
The entity emphasizes that these measures seek to ensure that resources are allocated efficiently and transparently, benefiting students who truly meet the requirements to improve their educational performance.