Tunisian authorities announced on Monday that they have "suspended the salaries of 17,000 teachers and dismissed 350 school directors in response to protests by teachers who refused to submit academic results to pressure the government to improve their financial conditions." This move could escalate the conflict with the labor union and fuel tensions in a country suffering from poor public services amid a worsening economic crisis.
Education Minister Mohamed Ali Boughediri stated, "The failure of students to receive their grades is a disaster and a crime against the sons of the Tunisian people." He added, "The law is the arbiter between the government and those who violate it," emphasizing, "Anyone who thinks that the authority is weak is mistaken."
On his part, primary education union representative Ikbal Al-Azbi told Reuters that "the minister's retaliatory actions aim to starve teachers and undermine union work... it is extortion and an illegal step."
In response to the decision, the education union stated that "hundreds of directors have begun to resign," and pledged that the upcoming academic year would be difficult, hinting at expected protest movements. Tunisian families are concerned that the conflict between the ministry and the union could exacerbate the country's worsening crisis and threaten another challenging school year, as they already face high inflation rates, poor services, and shortages of some food items.
