The legislators believe that Buenos Aires City Mayor Mauricio Macri’s administration does not prioritise children’s rights. “The kids are not first on Macri’s agenda,” the video said. Macri took office in 2007 and was reelected as city mayor in 2011.
Gentilli explains, “Macri only intervenes in situations in which the rights have been violated. His way of addressing children’s rights is is regressive and inefficient and contradicts the meaning of a comprehensive protection system.”
Education
According to Law 114, the government of the city should guarantee free and equal access to educational establishments at all levels in every neighbourhood. Due to recent secondary school student takeovers, education has become a hot issue in the fight for children’s rights.
“Macri’s education policies act against the public education system,” says the report, which emphasises four main issues in regards to education. First, the curriculum change that led to the secondary school takeovers; second, the lack of school buses for public schools; third, the infrastructure problems with some of the older public schools; and fourth, the insufficient number of high schools to accommodate the amount of children who finish primary school.
The September high school takeovers came as a result of a proposed curriculum change by Education Minister Bullrich said to take effect in 2013. The change included more language, literature, and mathematics courses instead of regular technical courses. Students complained that less technical courses would limit their professional opportunities after graduation. After a month-long standoff between students and government, the curriculum change was delayed until 2014 and nine discussions are set to take place throughout the year.
Instead of providing a transportation system for public schools, students are granted a discounted fare of $0.05 on city transportation. The lack of public school buses is also high on the opposition’s list of complaints. School infrastructure is another big problem: despite Macri’s efforts in improving basic provisions, including bringing heating to 100% of Buenos Aires public schools, the opposition claims there is more to be done.
Buenos Aires Para Todos’ legislator Laura García Tuñón emphasises the need for better school buildings and more schools. “Some classrooms have 35 students,” she says. “I am a teacher, I know that kids cannot learn like that.” She admits that the city has made improvements, but demands further improvements.
According to García Tuñón, Buenos Aires is sixth in the nation for investment in school children. “We could be better,” she says. “In reality it is not a lot.”
The legislators’ report revealed that 18.2% of poor adolescents drop out of high school. Union of Education Workers (UTE) Secretary Guillermo Parodi said, “This is the biggest attack that public education has ever suffered.” Parodi added that Macri’s administration is undermining teachers’ rights and democracy.