Teachers’ rights include protection and education reform
LIBYA – Saleh Jabbara, a member of the Tripoli Teachers’ Union, has said the continuing strike has, in his view, helped unify teachers’ position in the face of the government split and the conflicting decisions of the two education ministries, and has exposed the failure to deliver on repeated government promises. He held the authorities, rather than teachers, responsible for the disruption of the school year.
Criticism of spending and of ignoring teachers’ demands
Speaking to the Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Jabbara added: “The authorities spend huge budgets funding a narrow class of merchants and raise the salaries of armed men and of workers in some sectors that are less important than education, guaranteeing them many benefits, including protection and job rights, while confining the discussion with teachers to the unified salary scale to make it look as if teachers are only asking for a pay rise. Where are the rest of the demands? They are ignoring reform of the education sector and the teacher protection law.”
Working conditions, healthcare and legislation
Jabbara stressed that the crisis goes beyond salaries to include working conditions, healthcare, reform of educational institutions and legal protection for teachers.
He went on: “The House of Representatives pledged to issue laws and decisions guaranteeing teachers’ rights, and we are waiting for these decisions to be implemented, not merely issued.”
