By Fabyo Cruz – From Cenarium
BELÉM (PA) – After nearly a month of protests and occupation at the Pará State Secretariat of Education (Seduc-PA), the Legislative Assembly of Pará (Alepa) unanimously approved on Wednesday, the 12th, the repeal of Law 10.820/2024. The decision represents a victory for educators, Indigenous peoples, and social movements, who pressured the state government against changes in the teaching career structure.
Indigenous leader Auricélia Arapiun described the repeal as a victory for state public school teachers and the Indigenous peoples of the state who have been occupying the Seduc-PA headquarters since January 14, for 28 days.
“When many people told us that we wouldn’t succeed, that we needed to negotiate, we showed here that rights are not negotiated; they are guaranteed. We came here to ensure this right, and now we are waiting for the publication of the decree,” she told CENARIUM.
The repeal had already advanced on Tuesday, the 11th, when Alepa’s Committee on Constitution, Justice, and Final Drafting approved a favorable opinion on the project. The outcome of the vote was closely followed by union representatives and lawmakers opposed to the law, which had faced strong resistance since its approval.
The mobilization grew after the government downplayed the law’s impact on Indigenous and quilombola education. Amid criticism, Supreme Federal Court (STF) Justice Cármen Lúcia requested clarifications on the legislation. Under pressure, Governor Helder Barbalho (MDB) signed a Commitment Agreement on February 5 to repeal the measure.
On Monday, the 10th, the state public school teachers’ strike, which began on January 23, was suspended after indications that Alepa would vote on the repeal. In addition to the law’s repeal, the category demanded changes in Seduc-PA’s management.
Now, the movements that followed the legislative process await the official publication of the repeal in the Official Gazette, marking the conclusion of one of the largest Indigenous protests in the country at the beginning of 2025.
Edited by Adrisa De Góes
Translated from Portuguese by Gustô Alves
