BRATISLAVA, September 13, (WEBNOVINY) — Some 9,000 protesters, both members as well as non-members of teachers‘ unions have gathered on Tuesday in the front of the Cabinet Office in Bratislava in order to express their dissatisfaction with lack of funding in the education system. The square in front of the building was full of union members with yellow scarves, whistles and flags, holding banners with slogans such as ”We’ll exchange our credits for your credit cards” or “It’s not only about our salaries, but also about education of your children”. Representatives of schools and educational facilities have come to remind the Cabinet what they have promised in the program document. If the Cabinet fails to fulfill the demands of the unions, they are ready for a strike.
The unions plan to hand over their demands – to increase the amount of funds for education to a share of GDP comparable to other EU countries until the end of the current parliamentary term, increasing their salaries and introducing a competitive system of salaries for all education employees – at the Cabinet Office in the afternoon.
Thousands of teachers traveled to Bratislava from across Slovakia. Fifty-one schools announced directors’ leave, some of them only for some classes. Directors of some schools informed SITA that they did not notify competent authorities on calling a director’s leave as the protesting teachers will be substituted by their colleagues.
Some teachers who are not members of the unions joined the protest as well. Organizers of the petition “For Better Education,” already signed by over 37,000 teachers and members of the public, wear a symbolic light blue ribbon, yet their opinions slightly differ from those of the unions. “I support the eventual strike. Those of you who have signed, join me!” the petition’s organizer, Levice teacher Ludovit Sebeledi appealed at the protest. Teachers with blue-ribbons demand increasing the amount of funds for education available annually to 6 percent GDP, increasing salaries of teachers by 30 percent this year alone and others.
According to the Ministry of Education the state currently lacks more funds which it could allocate for education. “Already second year in a row teachers have an exception from government austerity measures that reduced public sector salaries. Next year the growth of their salaries will be approximately the same as the growth of salaries in the economy,” informed Education Minister Eugen Jurzyca.
SITA