Bogota, June 17 (RHC-teleSUR)-- Following a 37-day struggle to improve public education in Colombia that involved daily marches and nationwide coordinated actions, the Colombian government agreed to meet some of the terms of the combative teachers of the Colombian Federation of Education Workers union, or Fecode.

The union had demanded school maintenance funding, supplies, student meals and dignified salaries, complaining that education improvements promised by President Juan Manuel Santos be fulfilled. Teachers were also protesting poor salaries, in some cases as low as $610 per month, a pittance for education workers requiring thorough and expensive training at institutions of higher education.

The Fecode union, which represents over 350,000 teachers, agreed a deal with the government following a meeting with Finance Minister Mauricio Cardenas. The government pledged to improve salaries through progressive bonus payments and union input on the determination of budgeting plans, according to Education Minister Yaneth Ghia.

In cities throughout the country such as Bogota, schools haven't even able to accommodate the amount of students requiring education, instead forcing thousands of students to attend half-day sessions lasting only six hours.

However, the Friday accord will see the government attempt to implement full-day study.