Ahmad Shah Saber/ Zarghona Salehi
ZARANJ/KABUL: Hundreds of teachers of 15 schools in Zaranj city capital of western Nimroz province went on protest on Saturday over the low salary and non-payment since last three months.
Thousands of students were waiting in classes; however the teachers did not attend the classes.
This teacher told Ariana TV on May 1, 2008: “We want food, we have no energy to enter the class rooms, for how long should we live under destitution? We will continue our strikes as long as our demands are not accepted.”
RAWA: Since a week teachers of largest high schools in Kabul such as Habibia, Zarghona, Isteqlal etc. are on strike as Afghan government has not paid their salaries in the past 3 months and the promises to increase their salaries have not be realized. While the prices of food items have been doubled in the past month, teachers’ salary is as low as US$50-60 which is not enough to buy a bag of flour.
Fariba a teacher of Shaheed Gul Muhammad girls' High School in Zaranj city told Pajhwok Afghan News that they were not paid for last few months.
She added she was responsible to feed four children and disable husband, our salaries are low and also not paid on time.
Fariba said: "I am paid 3500 ($70), I rented house on 2500 per month, what can I do on 1000 remaining afghanis?"
Abdul Karim a teacher of boys' high school in Zaranj city told Pajhwok Afghan News none of the teachers attended the school on Saturday.
He said the officials promised the teachers for salary increase but it did not happen.
Karim said: "we will continue our strike until we are paid our arrears and our salaries have not been increased"
Abdul Majid Bedar, education department spokesman in Nirmoz accepted that about 800 teachers went on strike and did not attend the schools.
Dr. Ghulam Dastgir Azad, Nimroz governor said he assigned education department head and provincial council head to overcome the issue and get teachers to restart attending classes.
He added: "If the assigned officials were unable to solve the problem, I will myself try to solve it"
Muhammad Hanif Attmar, education minister told a press conference a week back that the payment law has been drafted and been sent to Parliament for approval
He added according to the law the manimum salary will be 6000 Afghanis and the highest will be 25000 Afghanis.