CCE 2 5 billion lost in education Business group demands elimination ofirregular workers BY ROSALBAAMEZCUA The News MEXICO CITY The Business Coordi nation Council CCE demanded the elimination of40 000 education work ers that feed offthe government and finance privileges for political purpos es Monday Gerardo Gutierrez Candiani the 105. council s president demanded that the educational reform be fully im plemented According to the council s estimate the education employee list includes 300 000 irregular payments which could cost the government more than 35 billion pesos S2 5 bil lion each year The opportunity and efficiency of the cuts and other reforms depend on its timely implementation he said During the previous weeks it has be come crudely evident that there are union groups that have used the ed ucation budget as their personal bank account and have used it for purpos es very different from education and from the union he said These groups have taken the ed Gutierrez Candiani said Mexico takes the lead in lost classroom hours with 562 effective hours a year com pared to 710 hours in the United States even though N lexico has 20 more days in its school year He asked for an end to impunity and that theft committed by teachers should not go unpunished Appease ment of these groups has not helped to control their actions and has uVeat ucation of millions of children and ened the development of the educa young people hostage This is the root tional reform of one of the most noxious forms of serious because it attacks the future of We expect a change to have dia logue but also a decision in the appli cation oflaws We trust that society will support this attitude in the challeng new generations he said es to come Gutierrez Candiani said corruption and impunity in Mexico It affects the public budget but it is more 2015.02.24