TEACHERS’ STRIKE CHANGES ITS COURSE
The almost paralyzed situation in Kosovo education system in most of the schools has continued in a second week of the teachers’ strike, who are demanding from the government to provide better wages, otherwise in the next days it’s likely that the strike will change its course into a radical phase.
Mr berisha, who began to work this year as a teacher in a secondary economics school, has faced the challenge of strike demands at a very first experience of his job, while sitting in the teachers hall he said ”The teacher’s strike is going on, I think this atmosphere reflects on me in positive and negative way”
He is also a student at a political science department, which is not functioning now because of the strike. These days he is trapped in this system facing both challenges of the strike while can’t participate on faculty lectures.
In most of schools today the atmosphere looks still calm. Teachers are boycotting while pupils and students remain out of their schools in a second week waiting for an alternative response either by the government or United Syndicate of Education, Science and Technology (SBASHK)
Meanwhile, new teacher, is among of more than 30,000 Kosovo teachers who began a general strike demanding the government to increase their wages and social benefits. The strike has come as a result of the failure by the Government to implement the collective agreement and the new salary system.
The teachers’ strike is still going on in the thirteenth day in most of schools, while during the press conference today the deputy head of striking council, Xhafer Xhaferi said ”SBASHK unanimously took decision to protest in front of the government building on Tuesday at 12 am”.
“Teachers are requesting from the Government to fulfill their demands, which have been promised many times”, said Xhaferi. He emphasized that the government and relative education institutions should seek a solution to this problem and meet teachers’ demands.
Official’s reports about the strike are contradicted. According to SBASHK around the 96% of teachers are continuing their strike, but on the other hand the Ministry of Education reports for 33,27% of teachers who have begun to work.
“The strike can be cancelled only if the government through a decree emphasizes that it will fulfill the strikers' demands,” declared Aslan Bajrami, head of the strike council.
“The agreement between the Union of independent syndicates of Kosovo (BSPK) and the government does not meet teachers’ demands.” He also announced that SBASHK has decided to freeze its relations with BSPK, saying that SBASHK is the only legitimate representative of Kosovo education workers.
The government of Kosova during this time has called the strikers to stop the strike believing that the solution is possible, at the same time this possibility became suspicious when government called for self-restraint, saying current budget limitations would prevent it from approving any public sector wage increase.
“The recommendations of International Monetary Fund and economic prospects should be taken into consideration because if we violate the budget there will be terrible consequences in the short- to mid-term”, said Avni Arifi, a senior adviser to Kosovo Prime Minister Kosumi.
In the most teacher’s statements dominates skeptical reflection, having in mind current politic situation in Kosovo, but some of them say that the project for implementation of grade salary system same as the annex of the collective contract, are not being implemented because of the limited budget funds.
Technological advances and educational reforms that gradually are taking place in our country are another other crucial factor which challenges improvement in our education system on this transition period.
The teacher who doesn’t expect to happen any miracle in Kosova education institutions said “In this confusing situation between the teachers demands and government efforts one thing is true, pupils and students who remain out of their school’s desk are the most vulnerable side”.
The importance of teachers, generally recognized by their contributions in pre- war period in Kosova is dealing with financial constraints and political sensitivities. The government policies keep on ignoring their welfare, whereas he added that this ignorance came to “an intolerably low point”.
