Teachers syndicate facing 'serious financial crisis' — president

AMMAN — The Jordan Teachers Association’s (JTA) council decided on Tuesday to suspend dispensing financial rewards worth JD1,150 to five syndicate members, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported Wednesday. 

Speaking during a council meeting, JTA President Basil Freihat said the council also decided to review all the agreements it has signed with companies and institutions to decide on not renewing some of them.

He said that after legal consultation, the JTA council found out that the agreements cost the syndicate unjustified large sums of money. 

Freihat said the JTA council is scheduled to hold an urgent meeting next Sunday to discuss the agreements, noting that some of them cost more than JD50,000 annually and do not serve teachers whatsoever. 

He added that initial figures and reports reveal the association is going through a "serious financial crisis" that threatens its future since the reports also show the syndicate's balance is only a few thousand dinars. 

One JTA employee is paid JD900, in addition to JD400 in monthly rewards, Freihat said, noting that the council decided to reform and merge its committees to become 12 instead of 21, as those committees cost the syndicate around JD550 in transport and subsistence allowances. 

Moreover, the JTA president said the council plans on addressing Education Minister Mohammad Thneibat to brief him on the syndicate's financial condition.