Teachers strike over government’s false promises [Archives:2006/930/Front Page]

archive
March 20 2006

Saddam Al-Ashmori
SANA'A, March 19 ) Yemeni teachers and education syndicates announced teachers' intention to go on a massive strike until the government meets their demands.

Both syndicates announced in a statement that teachers wore red badges until March 16 and began staging a partial strike last Saturday through today, while the massive strike will begin Tuesday. The statement stressed that teachers will not cease striking until their demands are met.

According to the statement, executive and local authorities demonstrated shaky behavior not based on credibility and justice, leading official parties to practice extortion and terrorism in an attempt to foil the strike.

The Minister of Education visited many capital schools with some local authority leaders and upon failing to persuade teachers to lift their strike, he threatened them with other action.

The Taiz Education Office Manager barbarically assaulted Ragheb Sa'eed Abdu, a teacher at 26 September School, ripping the red badge off his shirt in front of his students.

Al-Wahdah Education Department Manager in Sana'a threatened district school teachers with dire consequences, while teachers of both genders were extorted last week.

In a statement, Yemeni teachers and education syndicates mentioned illegal practices by influential officials, saying such practices will not stop them from insisting on their legal demands. The two syndicates called on teachers to adhere to their legal demands and reject any equity with other government employees, noting that the 110 percent salary increase announced by the Education Minister is merely a false promise.

The two syndicates called on teachers to continue their strike in school courtyards according to the announced timetable until their demands are met or the syndicates release another statement ordering them to lift the strike. Both syndicates insisted teachers not submit to any threats or illegal practices, saying any arbitrary acts will be reported to concerned parties.

Concluding their statement, the syndicates invited other syndicates, unions and organizations to express solidarity with them. They also appealed to Parliament's Rights and Freedoms Committee to play an integral role in protecting the law's status and citizens' dignity.

Yemeni Teachers Syndicate (YTS) Chief Mohamed Al-Rabahi confirmed that the protest will continue until the government meets teachers' demands and no partial solutions or compromises will be accepted. The YTS capital branch last Thursday denounced illegal practices against teachers in Sana'a and other provinces.

The YTS has reported all illegal acts by the Ministry of Education and other educational bodies against teachers nationwide, including incidents of dismissal and threats of suspending salaries of teachers wearing red badges. The report unveiled oppression of teachers of both genders and arbitrary practices by education authorities against teachers and education workers nationwide.
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