Jordan: Strike Continues and Government Threatens to Punish Teachers and Students

Ayman Fadilat-Amman

The teachers 'strike in Jordan has entered a new phase after the government's decision to resume schooling in the Kingdom's schools following the decision of the administrative court to stop the strike, amid the insistence of the teachers' union to continue for the fourth consecutive week.

While the ministry announced that the attendance was organized in about 25% of the schools, the teachers union confirmed that the strike continued in all schools in the Kingdom.

In its latest announcement, the Ministry of Education said school attendance in about 1,000 out of about 4,000 schools nationwide, but the teachers' union disputed the figures and said the strike went 100%.

snowball
The teachers' strike has become like a rolling snowball.While the government yesterday issued intense calls for students to attend their schools, it announced earlier that it will go to take financial and administrative sanctions against striking teachers, as well as sanctions to deprive students who are absent from school.

On Tuesday morning, the Teachers Syndicate circulated to its affiliates that it would appeal the decision to stop the strike before the Supreme Administrative Court, in addition to its assurance to teachers to answer any questioning about their commitment to the strike that they comply with the decision of the union, and confirmed that it bears full responsibility for the teachers strike across the Kingdom.

Local media correspondents recorded the ongoing strike in various parts of the Kingdom, while activists of the platforms in Jordan circulated multiple scenes in support of the teachers 'strike, while others expressed dissatisfaction with the continuation of the strike, which they said was hurting their children, and the teachers' union recorded what it said attempts to She has teachers in schools in the south and west of the capital.

The government had pre-empted the administrative court's decision to stop the strike by announcing increases in teachers 'salaries ranging from 24 to 31 dinars ($ 31-42), but the teachers' union announced its rejection of these increases and adhered to its demand of a 50% premium to the basic salary.

Intimidation and intimidation
Government calls for students to break the strike and access to classrooms varied methods and varied, and began from the circulars issued by the Ministry of Education Director to count the number of attendance and absence of students in preparation for action against absentee.

The Ministry of Education also sent SMS messages on the phones of students and their families, and some education directorates hung signs on major streets urging students to return to schools, and announced the launch of a hotline to report striking schools.

The Minister of Education Walid al-Maani said in statements yesterday that the judicial decision issued by the Administrative Court is enforceable, and that failure to implement it entails penal sanctions may amount to imprisonment.

Continuous strike
On the other hand, the Teachers Union organized this afternoon a large protest in Madaba governorate, south of Amman, in which it stressed its demands and the continuation of the strike until its achievement.

On Monday night, the government and the union exchanged legal opinions on the constitutionality of the continuation of the strike. The Teachers' Union confirmed that the continuation of the strike is legal and constitutional, and was met by the Minister of State for Legal Affairs Mubarak Abu Yamin.

The syndicate will appeal the administrative court's decision within 15 days after receiving the court's decision yesterday, the deputy head of the teachers' union, Nasser Nawasra, told a news conference last night, based on the legal rule that the judgments may not be executed "as long as the appeal is permissible."

He called the Ministry of Education calls for the use of substitute teachers as "desperate attempts to break the strike," calling on the government to mobilize the vacancies missing from teachers in schools first.

On the other hand, Minister Abu Yamin threatened teachers who stick to the strike and who refuse to enter their classrooms by exposing themselves to the penalties stipulated in the laws.

Abu Yamin said that the strike is contrary to the Constitution, based on a fatwa by the Special Court to explain the laws that the strike is illegal and violates the provisions of the Constitution, the law and the civil service system, as it harms the interests of students and their right to education.

A way out of the crisis
In the face of the continuation of this crisis, the former Minister of Education Fayez Saudi need to build on the decision of the Council of Ministers, which granted teachers increases by grade, by increasing the proportion of these allowances gradually, starting from 25% to 50% of the basic salary, with the need to increase government spending On education.

The Saudi Al-Jazeera Net that the government and the union are demanding serious dialogue and give up their militancy, in the service of national interests and our students.

Means of communication
The teachers' strike continued to be at the top of the list of the most frequently discussed topics in Jordan, and activist Walid Alimat wrote on the tag # with_moallim saying: "All that happens is the result of the security solution and the violation of the dignity of the teacher and the confiscation of his right to express opinion and assault his right to move on 5/9/2019, The teacher triumphed for his dignity .. He exposed the failed government administration and revealed its weakness. "

"Despite the text messages sent by the ministry and despite warnings of legal accountability and government controversy ... # Teachers' strike continues and united by the people .. Did the strike evolve into a # general strike?" Activist Motasem al-Saadi said in a tweet.

Journalist activist Mohammed Ersan tweeted: "Education starts deducting 15 dinars from the salaries of striking teachers.