Education ministry says more than 1,000 schools break teachers' strike

AMMAN — The Ministry of Education said that classes were resumed on Tuesday in 1,014 public schools across the Kingdom, "significantly" breaking teachers' nationwide strike, which has entered its fourth week. 

The ministry said that a total of 71,758 students returned to their schools on Tuesday, adding that legal and administrative proceedings will be taken against school principals and teachers who refused to receive students. 

Meanwhile, the Legislative and Opinion Bureau on Tuesday declared the teachers' strike "illegal", warning that teachers can lose their jobs should they insist on moving forward with the work stoppage they started on September 8. 

Citing the Civil Service Bylaw, the bureau said that public workers failing to show up to work for ten consecutive days could lose their jobs, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The bureau also explained that teachers who come to school and refrain from giving classes will also be subject to legal proceedings, including a pay cut for the period of time out on strike, according to Petra. 

The strike is protected by the law as long as it is not harming people's interests, the bureau said, explaining that teachers' ongoing strike deprives students from their right to education and violates Education Law, the Jordan Teachers Association (JTA) Law and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Under its law, the JTA is committed to protecting students’ right to education and resorting to legal approaches, mainly dialogue, to defend teachers’ demands.

The Education Ministry has sent circulars to public school principals across the Kingdom, instructing them to invite students to return to their schools. 

The circular is in compliance with the Administrative Court’s ruling, issued on Sunday, ordering an “immediate” suspension to teachers’ nationwide strike following a lawsuit filed by parents.

The government has offered to grant teachers a pay raise ranging between JD24 and JD31 to take effect on October 1 should the strike end, but the JTA refused, insisting on their demand of a 50-per cent pay raise.

The JTA called on its members to move forward with their strike, which it insists is “legal”. 

In a rally on Tuesday, JTA Vice President Nasser Nawasreh said that the syndicate has plans to make up missed classes.