Contract Teachers' Movement Renews Its Demands

The "Contract Teachers' Movement" renewed its rejection of "the policies followed towards tens of thousands of contract teachers who make up about 70% of the teaching staff in public schools, and who faced war, displacement, economic collapse, and evacuation with patience, resilience, and faith, while their basic rights remain pending without any serious treatment to date, as they are deprived of their immediate rights."

In a statement, it pointed out that "while contract teachers were waiting for their rights and their executed and unexecuted hours since the beginning of the war, they were surprised by the disbursement of an allowance not exceeding 8 hours for the month of March, yes, dues for 8 hours for three months of war, in a step that reflects the extent of neglect, shortcoming, and lack of serious follow-up by the Ministry of Education towards a fundamental and essential component of public education, which is treated as if it is outside priorities. The Ministry of Education, despite its direct responsibility for public education, still refrains from taking the necessary decisions, starting from raising the hourly wage and increasing salaries, passing through not deciding on correction and supervision allowances, up to the absence of any real support for teachers affected by war, displacement, and evacuation."

The movement added: "And at a time when the priority should be for the people of public education, the priority for the Minister of Education continues to be for representatives and cartels of private schools in meetings, gatherings, and educational decisions that always end up protecting their interests and influence, as if they are the permanent partner in decision-making, in good times and bad, while contract teachers are marginalized and repeatedly excluded from any consultation or participation in decisions that directly affect them, despite them constituting the main pillar of public education."

It demanded the Ministry of Education to "raise the hourly wage and approve fair increases on salaries commensurate with the living reality, immediately decide on correction and supervision allowances and improve them in a manner befitting the teachers' effort, provide clear support for teachers affected by war, displacement, and evacuation, stop the policy of marginalization and respect the representatives of contract teachers in everything related to public education and its decisions."