The government’s agreement with some unions reduced but did not end the national teachers’ strike scheduled for September 17 and 18 in Paraguay. The Federation of Educators of Paraguay (FEP) and other organizations accepted a 5% salary increase for 2027, while OTEP-SN, OTEP-Auténtica and UNE-SN initially maintained the mobilization in support of an 8% increase and more resources for education.
The increase will be implemented in two stages: 2.4% from January and 2.6% from July 2027. The estimated impact is US$47 million. The package also provides US$9 million for teacher salary progression, G. 40 billion to regularize an employer debt owed by the Ministry of Education and Sciences (MEC) to the Social Security Institute (IPS), accumulated since 2015, and G. 35 billion for new hires—G. 16 billion above the amount initially planned.
The agreement was signed by Education Minister Luis Fernando Ramírez, officials from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and representatives of the FEP, the Paraguayan Association of Educators, the Association of Paraguayan Teachers, and the Association of Paraguayan Education Teachers and Employees. The text also establishes working groups on the teaching career, training, evaluation, professional advancement and inclusive education.
The unions that rejected the proposal argue that the 5% increase does not fully make up for accumulated losses or offset the three-percentage-point increase in contributions to the Fiscal Fund. They also cite shortfalls in classroom hours, early childhood education and specialized services. Gabriel Espínola, of OTEP-A, accused the FEP leadership of abandoning the original demand for 8%, while Silvio Piris defended the agreement as progress and said the fight for a higher percentage would continue in Congress.
During the morning, the dissident groups announced gatherings in Asunción and mobilizations in other departments. Later, after a meeting at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Espínola said that OTEP-A would suspend the strike and that classes would resume on Friday. The situation of the other organizations is expected to depend on decisions made by their members.
The government had said it would ask the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security to analyze compliance with the legal requirements for the strike. Ramírez said there would be no additional increase beyond the agreement and that teachers’ absence would directly harm students. The union division, however, keeps the dispute over the 2027 General National Budget and structural funding for the public school system open.