Iran Focus
London, 11 May – Incoming reports indicate a number of teachers being “beaten and detained” during a protest by retired and employed teachers in Tehran, “in the aftermath of crackdown by security forces.”
The protest took place on Thursday May 10th, in front of the Planning and Budget Organization in Tehran, and held in front of the Education Department in other cities throughout the country.
According to reports, agents arrested 6 people at the protest in front of the “Plan and Budget Organization” in Tehran, whose location and fate is still uncertain.
At the protests organized by the Coordinating Council of Teachers, Teachers throughout Iran held posters protesting the lack of budget needed for necessary training and wages below the line of poverty.
Teachers oppose the privatization of education and demand fair wages, stating that Iranian government has shown time and time again that they have no regards to education.
According to incoming reports, in addition to basic demands, including increasing educational budgets and fair salaries for teachers, teachers also voiced their opposition to the education system which is practically endangering “free and quality education for all children”.
Declaring that the government’s strategic plan to implement the privatization of education, is increasingly depriving children of impoverished families of literacy and education.
In the resolution of the teachers’ protest it is stated, “The lack of attention to the lives and livelihood of retired and employed teachers and the lack of attention to the quality of education in schools shows that education is not a priority for state institutions and government officials. The Coordinating Council is protesting against this situation and warns officials of the consequences of continuing its negligence. “
