Teachers syndicate indecisive about end of strike

AMMAN — The Ministry of Education said on Thursday that it reached a deal with the Jordan Teachers Association (JTA) to end the teachers’ strike, which began on August 17, but a syndicate meeting ended with a loose decision that left the fate of the strike unresolved.

Following meetings overnight Wednesday and Thursday morning, Minister of Education Mohammad Thneibat and head of the House’s Education Committee Mohammad Qatatsheh announced that the strike was over and schools will be back to business as usual as of Sunday, pending an approval from the JTA’s 113-strong central committee, which comprises representatives from the syndicate’s branches in the country’s 12 governorates.

However, after a five-hour heated meeting, the committee voted to authorise the syndicate’s 15-member council, the JTA’s top authority which is controlled by Islamists, to decide whether to continue with the strike or end it.

The minister told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, that all of the teachers’ demands were met, except the financial one, citing the difficult economic situation.

The financial demand was rejected categorically as it would cost the Treasury around JD230 million a year, or a quarter of the budget deficit for this year. 

The House’s committee mediated between the government and the syndicate.

Qatatsheh told The Jordan Times earlier Thursday that the financial demand was shelved “until the Treasury situation improves”. 

The JTA demands included changes to the civil service by-laws regarding sick leaves, promotions and leaves without pay, investigating the Education Ministry’s pension fund and referring its case to the judiciary, implementing a “better medical insurance system”, enacting legislation to protect teachers against assaults, awarding them more financial benefits and ensuring that they are given better contracts at private schools. 

However, the ministry reportedly offered to give financial “incentives” to best-performing teachers.

The agreement came after the situation deteriorated to a showdown between the ministry and JTA, which is accused of playing a political game in favour of the Muslim Brotherhood, the largest and most organised opposition group. 

On Wednesday, Thneibat said his ministry was mulling temporary employment of new teachers to resume the education process stalled due to the strike. 

The association responded by threatening more escalation if the Education Ministry carries out its alternative plan.