The committee of contracted teachers in vocational and technical education held an extensive meeting via the ZOOM application. A significant number of representatives from official vocational institutes and schools from all regions and provinces participated. They discussed all developments related to the legitimate demands of contracted teachers and ways to safeguard their rights.
The National News Agency reported that the attendees issued a statement highlighting their communication with the Director-General of Vocational and Technical Education, Dr. Hanadi Berri. She affirmed her full support for the contractors and their rightful demands, stating that striking is a constitutional right that cannot be held against them or affect their contracts. The statement called for a decision from the Minister of Education and Higher Education to preserve the rights of contracted teachers to teach all hours stipulated in their annual contracts and for a circular from the Director-General for vocational and technical education to increase teaching days on Saturdays and Sundays to compensate for the hours for teachers of practical subjects. The Director-General noted that she intended to implement this measure since last year, but circumstances prevented it and confirmed that this would be among her priorities.
The statement also called for considering the half-hour as a teaching session, requesting confirmation of this in the minister's decision and extending the academic year to 30 weeks.
The statement expressed gratitude to all contracted teachers who expressed their anger and stood united, demanding their long-overdue rights. It acknowledged Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr. Tarek Al-Majzoub for issuing decision No. 17/M/2021, which preserves the right of contracted teachers to teach all hours stipulated in their annual contracts. The committee commended the significant efforts of the Director-General, Dr. Berri, to achieve fairness for contracted teachers and protect their rights.
The committee's statement deemed that a considerable portion of the demands and rights that can be achieved in the current situation has been fulfilled, while not losing sight of the primary goal of reaching a fair law that secures the stabilization of contracted teachers and their integration into the Ministry of Education's staff.
The committee concluded its statement by suspending the strike while reaffirming the continuation of demands for the rights of contractors and pursuing the proposed decision to account for the entire contract, within available frameworks and possibilities until achieving fairness. The committee indicated its readiness to assist any contractor facing injustice or oppression from their director or any entity and will follow up with the Ministry of Education and the Director-General for vocational and technical education.
