HERAT (SW) – Scores of public school teachers in Herat on Tuesday took to the streets demanding increase in salaries.
The protesting teachers marched in front of the Herat governor’s office chanting slogans and expressing their support for the Wolesi Jirga’s (lower house) push for raise in the salaries of teachers and other government employees.
They also warned that if the monthly salaries of teachers and government employees are not increased, they will go on a nationwide strike in the coming academic year.
Mohammad Sabir Mashal, chairman of the teachers’s council in Herat, criticized the government’s alleged injustice in regard to the teachers’ salaries. He said the current salaries for teachers was barely enough for their survival.
Ali Ahmad, one of the protesting teachers in the march, called on the government to listen to their demands and support the plan of the WJ and implement it. Arezoo Sekandari, the deputy head of the teachers’ council, also criticized the government for not paying these public servants enough for their hard work.
Meanwhile, Herat Governor Sayed Abdul Wahid Qatali said on the occasion he would convey the teachers’ demands to higher authorities.
Earlier, the Herat department of education supported this proposed plan of increment in salaries.
Separately, Mohammad Khalid Payenda, interim head of the Ministry of Finance, has pledged the salaries of teachers and low-ranking civilian government employees will increase significantly in the next fiscal year 1400.
In a social media post, the acting Minister of Finance said the Government was determined to reduce the salaries of the President, Vice Presidents, members of the Cabinet and cut other expenditures in order to finance the increase of salaries of teachers and low-ranking civilian government employees.
ENDS
