Al-Shakmak says sit-in continues and promises rejected
LIBYA – Osama Al-Shakmak, head of the Teachers’ Movement in the Eastern Region, has said the sit-in will continue until the five rights teachers are demanding are implemented on the ground, arguing that the protest has reached a “point of no return” after years of promises and postponements.
Promises on October differentials and the salary scale
In exclusive remarks to Libya Al-Hadath TV, Al-Shakmak said the House of Representatives had announced that part of the salary differentials would be paid with October’s salary and that the unified salary scale would be implemented within three months, and that teachers had been asked to reopen schools on the basis of these promises.
But teachers were later surprised, he said, when the government announced that no budget was available to pay the differentials, questioning the point of one official body making promises before another declares it cannot deliver them.
Five rights a condition for ending the protest
Al-Shakmak argued that the matter had gone beyond delays and procrastination to an affront to teachers’ dignity, saying that in his view the room for negotiation and earlier meetings had run out unless they were matched by clear implementation steps.
He stressed that the sit-in would continue until the five rights are implemented, saying teachers would not accept new promises or allow their rights to become material for manoeuvring and statements between the responsible authorities, and that these rights are “due, not a favour from anyone”.
