Lebanese Contract Teachers Union Split: Strike Called Despite Recent Praise for Minister

The coordinator of the "Contract Teachers' Movement," Hamza Mansour, stated that there is no strike on Wednesday, criticizing what he described as a division of roles and interests between the Education Minister and the unions. He noted that the minister had only given her phone number to these unions, who were thanking her for her efforts just yesterday, only to announce a strike today. "A strike against whom? And why did you thank her yesterday if you were going to strike tomorrow?" he questioned.

Mansour emphasized in a statement that the difficult and life-threatening conditions contract teachers have faced since the beginning of the war have been worsened by the Ministry of Education. He pointed out that no support has been provided to any contract teacher so far, and even the hours they have taught have not been compensated.

He further questioned the motives behind the strike called by the unions, asking whether it is for the social assistance the minister promised, for an increase in grading fees for official exams, or for a raise in the hourly wage. "We do not know why they are striking," Mansour said.

He added that the movement is prohibited from communicating with the Education Minister, who has placed advisors between herself and the movement. Their role, he claimed, is not to convey demands and rights but to refuse to listen to any request. "The minister knows this, but she does not hold any of them accountable," he lamented.

Concluding his statement, Mansour declared, "Our struggle is long, and our word is honest, expressing the pain of every steadfast contract teacher, every steadfast student, every southern contract teacher, every displaced contract teacher, and every Lebanese contract teacher whose rights have been stolen by the criminal war, while the Ministry of Education continues to watch their tragedy to this day."