Israeli teachers stage strike on school opening day

JERUSALEM, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) — Israeli high school teachers went on strike on Sunday, the country’s first day of the new school year.
The Secondary School Teachers Association decided to prevent the start of the school year because of salary disputes with the Finance Ministry, including demands for a collective agreement with salary increases and improved employment conditions.
The organization also opposes the ministry’s intention to integrate new teachers into personal contracts, claiming that “this will bring people without pedagogical education into the classrooms, which is a disrespect for the teaching profession.”
The ministry asserts that the teachers have withdrawn from agreements reached after prolonged negotiations, adding that “the strike causes significant distress to hundreds of thousands of students, teachers, principals, and parents.”
Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kisch said, “Shutting down the education system during wartime is a scandalous step that hurts teachers, students, and parents alike.”
He added, “I have proposed a compromise outline for the Finance Ministry and the teachers, but unfortunately, both parties seem to prefer a strike. They are engaged in an ego battle, harming students and teachers during wartime.” ■