Teachers’ Movement holds to its strike and criticises delayed arrears
LIBYA – Wasim Kleesh, spokesman for the Libya Teachers’ Movement, has said teachers are holding to their decision not to return to schools until their rights and demands are met in full, holding the competent authorities responsible for any failings in the procedures for paying their arrears.
Conflicting accounts over the referral of lists
In a phone interview on the news bulletin of Libya Al-Ahrar TV, which broadcasts from Turkey — followed by Al-Marsad — Kleesh said teachers had been waiting for dates to be set for paying their arrears, but were surprised by reports that some education control offices had been late in referring data on salary differentials and lists for the class-period allowance.
He noted that other education control offices had announced on their official pages that they had sent all the data relating to the differentials under Law No. 4 and the class-period allowance arrears, and pointed to the latest circular on the analytical statement for the class-period allowance.
Responsibility for the hold-ups
Kleesh said every official should bear the consequences of any failing within their remit, arguing that errors or violations by education control offices should make them answerable to the Ministry of Education, and calling on all the offices to state their positions clearly and take responsibility.
Teachers stress they want classes to start
He stressed that teachers were not making accusations or casting suspicion on any party, but were demanding their rights in full and genuinely wanted the school year to begin. He said the responsiveness the Education Ministry had shown since the first day of the demands had not yet turned into action on the ground.
Kleesh concluded by expressing teachers’ hope that their demands would be met and that the delays and obstruction would be overcome, reiterating that every official would be held responsible for any failure to give teachers their rights.
