[Onthebarricades] Protests: Schooling, Education and Teachers, Apr-Aug 2008

[Andy]

ON THE BARRICADES:  Global Resistance Roundup, April-August 2008
https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/onthebarricades
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/

*  CHINA:  Parents of quake victims protest school building, govt stalling
*  UGANDA:  Parents protest school reopening, fire risk
*  ISRAEL:  Junior lecturers disrupt studies over work conditions
*  SAUDI ARABIA:  Graduates rally, demand jobs
*  US, California:  Educators walk 100 miles in funding protest
*  PAKISTAN:  College lecturers set deadline
*  HONG KONG:  Expat parents protest school fees hike
*  SRI LANKA:  Government closes schools to hit sick-in campaign
*  US, Arizona:  Protest against "secretive" officials
*  US, Santa Rosa:  Protest against sackings of teachers
*  INDIA, Karnataka:  Protest against "donation menace", corruption
*  TRINIDAD:  Teachers walk out over dust problem
*  US, Florida:  Teachers protest budget cuts
*  FRANCE:  Teachers protest neoliberal policies
*  US, California:  Protest over start time switch
*  NEPAL:  Schools strike over Maoist beating
*  BANGLADESH:  Protest over "misbehaving" university teacher
*  US, Olympia:  Parents protest special education changes
*  INDIA, Erode:  Protest over exclusion of teacher from hills list
*  US, Florida:  Protest against budget cuts
*  ISRAEL:  Teachers protest Annapolis summit, schools crisis
*  PAKISTAN:  School closure protested
*  CAMEROON:  Parents denounce PTA law, threaten to withdraw children
*  US, Texas:  Protest against closure of two schools
*  PHILIPPINES:  Two days of protests against school closure in Quezon City; 
school stormed
*  INDIA, Hyderabad:  Protest against teaching in English
*  INDIA, Kurnool:  Protest against school fees
*  US, California:  Protest against threatened cuts
*  INDIA, Karnataka:  Protest against harassment of staff by managers
*  INDIA, Andhra Pradesh:  Protest for absorption of casual staff
*  INDIA, Kerala:  Textbook protest
*  INDIA, Chennai:  Protest against forced donations
*  US, Florida:  Cuts protest
*  AUSTRALIA:  Teachers protest at politician's office
*  US, Jackson:  Parents protest over search for school superintendent
*  INDIA, Karnataka:  Arts students hospitalised during fast
*  US, Florida:  Teachers protest for pay increase
*  US, Guilderland:  Protest over transfer of popular teachers
*  EAST TIMOR:  Teacher protests earn pay rise
*  CAMEROON:  Sultan intervenes in striking lecturer case
*  BANGLADESH:  Protest against manhandling of guardian
*  INDIA, Hyderabad:  Protest at moving of school
*  INDIA, Karnataka:  Protest over teacher shortage
*  NIGERIA:  Teachers strike over welfare system
*  INDIA, Jaipur:  Teachers protest against transfer irregularities
*  US, Detroit:  Public schools rally against charter schools
*  IRELAND:  Labour Youth rally against fees
*  INDIA, Hyderabad:  Teachers plan protest drive over promotions, state 
attitude
*  PAKISTAN:  Controversy over torture of protesting teachers
*  UK:  Private school heads withhold results over "farming" of school 
students
*  INDIA, Tamil Nadu:  Protest over conversion of college into private 
university
*  INDIA, Andhra Pradesh:  Teachers protest
*  PHILIPPINES:  Teachers protest over "oppressive" policies of insurers
*  US, Gatlinburg:  Protest at possible loss of art college site
*  AUSTRALIA:  Teachers to protest at minister's office

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/20/asia/quake.php

Parents of quake victims accuse government of stalling

The Associated Press
Published: June 20, 2008
WUFU, China: Angry parents of children killed when a primary school 
collapsed in an earthquake last month accused the Chinese government Friday 
of stalling instead of issuing the results of an investigation into the 
construction of the school.
The parents said that local officials had promised to give them details on 
how the school was built and why it crumbled so easily in the quake May 12 
that killed more than 69,000 people in Sichuan Province alone. It was the 
worst disaster in China in three decades.
"They said they would give us answers on June 20," said Huang Zaojun, one of 
about 150 parents gathered at the ruins of Fuxin No.2 Primary School in the 
town of Wufu, about 75 kilometers, or 45 miles, north of the provincial 
capital of Chengdu.
Huang's 11-year-old son was one of 270 students who died in the collapse of 
the school's three-story classroom building.
But after a day of waiting, the parents were told at a meeting Friday that 
the results of the investigation were not ready to be made public. "The 
government said the experts are still making an evaluation and asked us to 
wait," Huang said.
"They said the result might come out in three or five days, or one or two 
years."
Hong Kong Cable TV quoted parents as saying that officials at the meeting 
had denied promising to provide details of the investigation.
"We are not satisfied with the government," Huang said. "They are playing 
for time. We will ask lawyers to find experts to make a separate 
evaluation."
Accusations of shoddy construction of schools have increasingly turned into 
anger against the local authorities in Sichuan Province. Parents have 
protested at numerous schools in the region, asking that the authorities 
explain why schools collapsed so easily while buildings near them were still 
standing after the 7.9-magnitude quake.
Foreign engineers who inspected collapsed buildings in the province blamed 
poor construction.
"If the government compels students to be in schools, and designs and 
constructs the schools, then the government has responsibility," said Brian 
Tucker of GeoHazards International, a nonprofit organization that advocates 
better quake-proof construction.
But Tucker said it was difficult to identify responsibility because of the 
numerous layers of government involved in building schools.
Kit Miyamoto, a spokesman for the Structural Engineering Association of 
California, said he found many cases of non-reinforced concrete when he 
inspected collapsed schools in the area, and that signs of substandard 
construction were easy to find in the area.
"It took me four hours to understand what went wrong," Miyamoto said, but he 
agreed that it would take much longer to find out who was responsible.
At least four journalists representing foreign media outlets were detained 
while trying to cover the meeting Friday between the parents in Wufu and the 
local authorities.
Yuan Hongling, a foreign affairs department official, confirmed the 
detentions. "The reporters were working behind police cordons," she said. 
"They had already been notified in English and Chinese that they were not 
supposed to be there, but they remained there. So the police forcibly 
removed them."
The journalists were released after about six hours.
Sichuan Province was bracing Friday for heavy rainstorms that could trigger 
new landslides, with thunderstorms forecast through Sunday, according to the 
provincial weather bureau.
June marks the start of the annual rainy season, which routinely leads to 
flooding in rivers in provinces downstream.
Landslides are a particular concern because the earthquake caused steep 
hillsides to shear away and crash into river valleys below. Many slopes 
remain unstable and are at high risk of being washed away.
The authorities have evacuated since Sunday more than 110,000 people from 
mountain districts near the epicenter of the quake, the official Xinhua 
press agency said.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200806110099.html

Uganda: Parents Protest Budo Re-Opening
New Vision (Kampala)
10 June 2008
Posted to the web 11 June 2008
Angela Ndagano and Raymond Baguma
Kampala
BUDO Junior School re-opened yesterday amid protests by a group of bereaved 
parents demanding the release of the Police report on the fire that killed 
20 children on April 14.
"We need (education minister) Bitamazire now!" "Kayongo must be arrested" 
and "100 questions not answered", read some of the placards they carried.

The angry parents and guardians sneaked into the school premises at 11:00am 
and proceeded to Nassolo dormitory, the scene of the fire, from where they 
began their protest.
Holding photos of their dead children, they called for the arrest of the 
former head teachers William Kayongo and Livingstone Ddungu. They also 
demanded the resignation of Bitamazire and called for the release of a 
preliminary report on the fire by the Wakiso district authorities.
The parents, who said they were representing the deceased pupils, hurled 
insults at the administrators and other parents who brought their children.
They confronted Wakiso district chairperson Ian Kyeyune, accusing the 
district leaders of neglecting their plight and re-opening the school before 
it was safe.
"If my child died, why do you want others to die?" asked Harriet Namubiru, 
the mother of Sylvia Nakandi, who perished in the inferno.
"You did not hand your kids to me," Kyeyune retorted during the bitter 
exchange.
He said the inquiry by Wakiso district was only to establish whether it was 
safe for the school to open for the second term.
"It was after the recommendations of the district inquiry that we decided to 
reopen."
Kibuuka Lutwama, a councillor at Wakiso district and father of the late 
Evelyn Zawedde, accused the LC5 chairperson of not honouring earlier 
requests to meet them.
Christine Naava, the mother of the late Patience Namuyanja, said: "We do not 
want the school to close but we want a report on what killed our children. 
We are going to stay here and wait."
Responding to the parents' demands, the deputy head teacher, Irene Mirembe, 
said the school was not able to provide the information the parents were 
demanding. She reminded the parents that the school was a Government 
institution and therefore had to continue teaching.
But the parents threatened they would light a bonfire and hold a vigil at 
the burned dormitory. It took the intervention of state minister for primary 
education Peter Lokeris to calm them down.
"The school has nothing to do with the Police report. The moment the report 
is released, it will go to the President, then Cabinet and the Parliament."
He, however, shocked some parents when he remarked: "Some of you who are 
young can continue to get other children." The demonstration did not prevent 
other parents from bringing their children to the reopened school. By 
3:00pm, records showed that at least 600 pupils had reported.
"The candidates have lost time. I would like the ministry of education to 
extend their term. Otherwise, they may not complete the syllabus," said 
Lawrence Ssenoga, father of P7 pupil Irene Namusaazi.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/982366.html

Last update - 22:43 11/05/2008

Junior lecturers to disrupt studies in protest against work conditions By 
Ofri Ilani, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Israel, Lecturers, Strike
Junior academic staff on Monday will start disrupting studies at 
universities across Israel in protest against the employment conditions of 
external lecturers.

Danny Shpruch, of Tel Aviv University's junior academic staff, declared: 
"Our patience is about to run out. The members of our organization are 
employed on starvation wages as contracted workers, without any sort of 
pension or social rights."

"We request of the university heads: Show responsibility. Let's not lose the 
semester because of redundant obstinacy," Shpruch said.
Advertisement


A general meeting will be held from 12:00-14:00 at Tel Aviv University in 
order to explain the lecturers' demands, during which there will be no 
classes.

On Tuesday, another such meeting will be held at Haifa University between 
12:00 and 14:00, at which time classes will also be cancelled.

Members of the junior staff, which are responsible for a considerable part 
of University courses and programs, are all employed as "visiting teachers." 
As such, they are paid by the hour for eight months a year. They do not 
receive pensions or academic or social rights.

Senior lecturers late last year held the longest academic strike in Israel's 
history, at the end of which agreements were signed in January that did not 
deal with the junior staff's working conditions.

Last week, representatives of the junior staff agreed to postpone by two 
weeks the labor sanctions which were planned for next week, in order to 
engage in accelerated negotiations with the universities' administrations.

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/526604-saudi-graduates-in-jobs-protest

Saudi graduates in school jobs protest
by Andrew White on Monday, 04 August 2008

TEACHING PROTEST: Angry graduates claim school jobs are going to expats in 
Saudi Arabia. (Getty Images)
Nearly 1,500 graduates have rallied in front of the Saudi Ministry of 
Education demanding jobs, according to reports on Monday.

Unemployed teaching and special education graduates carrying their 
certificates wanted to meet with the ministry officials early Saturday 
morning, but were prevented from entering by security guards, according to 
Al-Hayat newspaper.

"I graduated from the Teachers' Training College in Riyadh two years ago but 
still have not found a job," one protestor, Mohsen Abdullah, told the 
newspaper. "The Ministry of Civil Service currently has over 324 education 
vacancies but they weren't announced."

http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=45812

Educators Walk 100 Miles to Protest School Funding
Posted By: Will Frampton     1 day ago

SACRAMENTO, CA - They may never find a patch of grass more comfortable than 
the one they enjoyed Sunday. After walking five days and 100 miles, a 
teacher, principal and parent arrived from San Francisco at Sacramento's 
Governor's Mansion.
Their exhaustion was matched only by the satisfaction from the protest 
they'd just carried out.
"It was excruciating and exhilarating at the same time," said school 
principal Sande Leigh.
"I wanted people to see me and I wanted to talk to them," said fifth grade 
teacher Kelly Clark.
Clark said she and her walking companions chose the Governor's Mansion as a 
symbol, placing broken pencils on the steps to illustrate the tremendous 
struggle faced by their school.
"Now that we're in crisis mode, we're being reactionary versus proactive," 
said Clark.
By walking from downtown San Francisco to Sacramento, the modest group of 
protesters believes they spread a message that other school districts can 
relate to.
Principal Leigh said her school, Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy, is broke. 
They have just $32 in their budget this year.
"That's all that's left after we've paid for our people," she said.
She puts the blame on Gov. Schwarzenegger, saying he has cut public school 
funding too much.
"We decided we would walk to Sacramento to demand that the budget speak to 
the needs of our kids much more than it has," Leigh said.
Governor's office spokeswoman Camille Anderson said Schwarzenegger has done 
all he can.
"The governor has increased education spending each year he's been in 
office. He has also proposed ... increasing education spending over $200 
million this year," Anderson said. "The governor understands the 
(protesters') frustration, and that's why he's asking the legislature for 
long-term budget reform in California."
For Sande Leigh, that answer is not good enough.
"We could lay off people (at school), and have more money," said Leigh. 
"It's an either-or situation, and it should never be that way."

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=119567

SPLA threatens protest drive Friday, June 20, 2008
By our correspondent

HYDERABAD: The Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA) here on 
Thursday set the deadline for 5th July 2008 for the resolution of college 
teachers' problems and meeting of charter of demands.

Addressing a news conference at the Government Sachal Sarmast Arts and 
Commerce College, SPLA leaders Professor Liaquat Aziz, Yaqoob Chandio and 
others said that the decision was taken at a high-level meeting of the 
association.

Liaquat Aziz said four per cent of the GDP should be allocated for the 
education sector and scientific and modern education policy should be 
devised in consultation with working teachers and such a policy should be 
approved by parliament. He said the syllabus should be improved, mother 
tongues should be made as medium of instruction, ban on teachers' union 
should be lifted in Sindh and forced leave and show cause notices should be 
withdrawn.

He said that 863 ad-hoc lecturers of Sindh should be regularised like the 
NWFP, Balochistan and the Punjab and five-month salaries should be released 
and promotions of teachers should be made without further delay. He demanded 
that only educationists should be appointed as secretary education, medical 
allowance of college teachers should be increased to 2,000 rupees, plots 
should be provided to college teachers, soft loans should be given to them, 
college teachers' academy should be revived, higher secondary schools be 
made colleges and political intervention into educational institutions 
should be stopped.

Also, commerce teachers should be appointed as principals of commerce 
colleges and Rangers' occupation of hostels should be ended. Moreover, 
education boards and public schools should be given under the control of the 
Education Department.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/212605,expat-hong-kong-parents-protest-hikes-in-english-school-fees.html

Expat Hong Kong parents protest hikes in English school fees
Posted : Mon, 16 Jun 2008 03:39:01 GMT
Author : DPA
Category : Asia (World)
Hong Kong - Hundreds of expatriate and Chinese parents have signed a 
petition protesting fee rises of more than 1,000 US dollars a month at 
English schools, a news report said Monday. Fees at the English School 
Foundation, which runs 20 government-subsidized, English-curriculum schools 
in the former British colony, have risen sharply in the past three years, 
the Hong Kong Standard reported.
Annual tuition fees for primary school pupils have risen from 47,300 Hong 
Kong dollars (6,053 US dollars) to 58,100 Hong Kong dollars since the 
2005-2006 school year.
Meanwhile, secondary school fees have gone from 78,600 to 89,250 Hong Kong 
dollars a year, the newspaper said.
Expatriate children make up around 50 per cent of all students, and parents 
complain they have no option but to send their children to the schools 
because local schools teach only in Chinese.
The schools are also increasingly popular with parents of local Chinese 
children who see English as the key to international universities and better 
job prospects.
When Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, the administration 
introduced a controversial "mother tongue" teaching policy in local schools, 
phasing out English in favor of Cantonese.
Three hundred parents have signed an online petition against the fee rises 
at the English School Foundation facilities, and the petition is to be sent 
to the foundation and Hong Kong's education bureau, which subsidizes the 
schools, the Standard reported.
A foundation spokesman told the newspaper that the foundation was aware of 
the anger among parents but said the fee increases were necessary to pay for 
staff salaries and an expansion of the school network.
Hong Kong is home to tens of thousands of expatriates from Britain, 
Australia and the United States who rely on foundation schools as well as 
non-subsidized international schools for their children's education.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/jun2008/sril-j13.shtml

Sri Lankan government closes public schools to break up teachers' protest
By Panini Wijesiriwardane
13 June 2008
In an extraordinary move in the name of "security", the Sri Lankan 
government closed down all the country's 9,714 public sector schools on 
Wednesday and Thursday in order to sabotage a sick-note industrial campaign 
by teachers. The teachers' unions had called the limited protest as a means 
of avoiding another strike over the demand for a pay increase of about 5,000 
rupees ($US45) per month-a demand that has been outstanding since 1997.
With rampant inflation devastating living standards, thousands of teachers, 
including principals, were expected to stay away from school for two days. 
Despite the efforts of the unions to prevent it, the threatened walkout, 
involving Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim teachers alike, presented a direct 
challenge to the government's austerity measures and its efforts to divide 
the working class along communal lines.
Closing the schools constituted an outright attempt to intimidate the 
teachers and all working people, under conditions where President Mahinda 
Rajapakse's government is demanding further sacrifices of wages and 
conditions in order to finance its reactionary war against the Tamil 
minority in the island's north and the east.
The government insists it has no funds to rectify the long-outstanding 
salary anomalies affecting teachers. Education Minister Susil Premajayantha 
told Lakbima that 9,600 million rupees would be needed to meet the teachers' 
demand. "This is equal to the whole amount allocated for the 1.9 million 
'Samurdi' families across the island," he said. (Samurdi is a meagre state 
welfare program, which gives small amounts to some very low-income 
families.)
Such a claim is a crude attempt to pit teachers against the poor, when the 
truth is that the renewal of the war against the separatist Liberation 
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) since 2006 is the real cause of the growing 
financial crisis.
When 200,000 teachers held a one-day strike for their pay demand last 
September, President Rajapakse told the teachers' union leaders: "We do not 
have money to allocate for this. Do you say that we should withdraw the 
military from the North and East?" The union leaders completely capitulated 
and called off a second strike-indicating their abject support for the 
government's war effort, and its attempt to offload the full burden of the 
war on the backs of the working class.
Soaring prices for food, fuel and other essentials in Sri Lanka and globally 
have now, once again, driven the teachers into struggle. Even if they 
received a pay increase of 5,000 rupees, that would fall far short of what 
they need. Even since March, bus fares have risen 27 percent and train fares 
300 percent.
Shutting down the schools is also a calculated provocation by the Colombo 
government to pit students and parents against the teachers, with students 
ordered to attend school for two extra days in third term to make up for the 
lost time. Above all, the closure is another bid to create an atmosphere of 
emergency, in which any opposition to the government can be denounced as a 
threat to its military campaign against the LTTE.
Education minister Premajayantha declared at a press conference on Tuesday: 
"In the event the school authorities fail to provide protection to their 
children, we have to take the sole responsibility for their safety, 
considering the present security situation in the country."
In reality, it is the Rajapakse government that has created the greatest 
security threat to the country's people by renewing the civil war. The 
purpose of the war is not only to defeat the LTTE, but to divide the working 
masses by stoking ethnic tensions between Sinhala and Tamil people. Facing 
military setbacks in the north of the island, the government has seized upon 
a series of bomb blasts targeting civilians in recent weeks to increase 
police powers and other repressive measures that can be used against 
industrial and social unrest.
Unions prostrate
The teachers' union leaders have been prostrate before the government, not 
daring to call a strike or any public meetings. The government's decision to 
close the schools followed a breakdown in discussions between education 
officials and the unions that called the sick-note campaign-the Ceylon 
Teacher Service Union (CTSU), Educational Professionals Union (EPU) and All 
Ceylon United Teachers Union (ACUTU).
The leading union in the campaign, the CTSU, is affiliated to the Sinhala 
chauvinist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). The JVP played a crucial role in 
bringing Rajapakse to power in 2005, and has been one of the most 
militaristic parties in parliament. Every month, the JVP has voted for 
continuing emergency rule and increased military spending, at the expense of 
essential social services. It frequently brands anyone interfering with the 
war effort as a "traitor" to the "motherland".
After meeting government officials, CTSU general secretary Mahinda 
Jayasinghe told the Daily Mirror that the unions' primary concern was the 
government's financial difficulties. "If the government agrees to a pay hike 
rectifying these anomalies as a matter of principle, teachers will not mind 
the decision being implemented in stages given the financial crisis in the 
country," he said. In other words, any pay rise to teachers must not affect 
the government's war expenditure.
Teachers who spoke to the WSWS called for a struggle to oppose the war and 
defend living standards. A teacher from Colombo Central School said: "The 
government's intention is to sow hatred among parents and ordinary people 
toward teachers by putting forward the issue of security amid a series of 
bomb blasts. The government hopes to generate an anti-strike sentiment in 
society."
The teacher did not believe that the authorities would address the teachers' 
demands, and he had no faith in the capacity of the union leaders to 
seriously challenge the government. He continued: "As teachers, we are 
facing many difficult conditions at school. In our school, children are 
packed in classrooms with limited space. Some text books have not been 
delivered to students this year even though almost half the year has 
elapsed. Some classrooms have no lighting facilities. We also face transport 
problems-we have no public transport."
The teacher pointed to the need to unify the struggles of the entire working 
class, regardless of ethnic backgrounds. "The existing rulers depend on 
whipping up poisonous sentiments such as racialism and religious 
differences," he said. "We have to oppose all these sentiments and unite on 
a common platform, not only as teachers but as workers."
A 56-year-old teacher from a junior school in Kandy commented: "We have to 
advance this wage struggle. The government puts the war to the front and 
advises us not to appeal for anything. I think the war is the means for 
suppressing the rights of working people. We do not want this war."
The Kandy teacher expressed opposition to the role of the union leaders. "I 
do not like this kind of sick-note campaign. In the past, we held strikes to 
advance our demands. The government will only take advantage of this kind of 
protest. I do not have any faith in the union leadership-they separate our 
problems from those of other workers."
Since 1997, the JVP-led alliance of teachers' unions has used the demand for 
"rectifying salary anomalies" to limit and divert the teachers' struggle for 
better pay. The "anomalies" demand was brought forward when the government 
accepted the teaching profession as equal to other professions, such as 
nursing, and said teachers should be lifted to similar pay levels. However, 
this decision has never been implemented.
Several other unions, including the Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) and the 
Tamil Teachers Union (TTU), have supported the JVP's protest campaign, while 
forming a separate alliance that is critical of the JVP's communalism and 
open support for the government. Despite distancing themselves from the JVP, 
however, the role of these unions in seeking to pacify teachers has been no 
different.
The CTU joined the betrayal of the teachers' strike last year. Now CTU 
general secretary Joseph Stalin has said that the unions would give the 
government until the end of June to meet their demands, but did not say what 
the unions would do if the government failed to meet the deadline. When 
asked by the WSWS, Stalin claimed the school closure was a "victory" for 
teachers, but did not explain how that could be the case, given the 
government's continuing refusal to pay the increase.
A break from these unions is essential in order to unite working people 
against the Colombo government's war policy. In a statement on the teachers' 
dispute issued earlier this week, the Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka) 
explained: "Rajapakse's escalation of the war is not only starving public 
education and every other social program of funding, it is seeking to drown 
working class opposition to this big business program in communalism and 
nationalism. Like all its predecessors, Rajapakse's unstable coalition 
government has responded to rising social unrest by plunging the country 
back into catastrophic armed conflict.
"To fight against the war and the escalating attacks on democratic rights 
and living standards, workers need an independent political movement based 
on international socialism. The SEP calls on teachers and all workers to 
take up the fight for a workers' and peasants' government to completely 
reorganise society to meet the needs of the majority, not the profits of the 
few. The working class in Sri Lanka-Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim alike-must 
unite to fight for a socialist republic of Sri Lanka and Eelam, as part of a 
union of socialist republics of South Asia and internationally".

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/04/22/20080422protest0423.html

More than 100 teachers stage protest vs. officials
11 comments by Eugene Scott - Apr. 22, 2008 06:01 PM
The Arizona Republic
More than 100 Deer Valley Unified School District teachers on Tuesday night 
protested against what they called secretive school officials. But district 
officials say the teachers' complaints have no merit.
Deer Valley Education Association officials, at a press conference outside 
district headquarters on 15th Avenue in north Phoenix, said the district has 
failed to have "open, honest and transparent" communication about the 
district's budget.
The organization doesn't think the district or the superintendent is doing 
anything unethical with district funds, but simply has a problem with their 
unwillingness to share details.
They carried signs with such sayings as "Tell the Whole Truth" and "No 
Teacher Left Behind."
Herb Weil, Deer Valley Education Association president said: "For the first 
time in my experience, when we were bargaining this year, when it came time 
to talk about the budget and the things that were in the budget and how the 
available money was going to be used, we were told that that was none of our 
business."
Sandi Hicks, the school district's spokesperson, said teachers have access 
to the same information they've always had access to.
"All anyone has to do is pick up the phone and ask the question," she said.
But DVEA officials said it hasn't been that easy.
Teachers were told "that the governing board hired the superintendent and 
it's her job to make those decisions and they are not open for discussion," 
Weil said.
Mark Kafouros, who has taught social studies at Deer Valley High School for 
30 years, said he believes the superintendent and governing board is putting 
their needs ahead of the students.
"They just don't believe teachers should have a voice in the process and we 
are here to convince them otherwise."
Hicks said the district is not hiding anything from the teachers or anyone 
else.
"In terms of budget, (teachers) have the same budget sheets that they have 
had year after year," she said.
The district has set aside 87 percent of its $194 million budget for teacher 
salaries, she said.
"That only leaves 13 percent to run the rest of the district - such as 
copiers, papers, supplies, utility bills. All of that information is 
available to the teachers and we have provided that information to them," 
Hicks said.

http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080422/NEWS/719376085/1033/NEWS

SRHS teachers carry signs in protest

By RANDI ROSSMANN
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 8:36 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 8:36 a.m.
More than two dozen Santa Rosa High School teachers stood out front of the 
school early today, carrying signs in support of nine teachers let go by the 
district for not being a "good fit."
"It's scary. It's great. I'm encouraged by all this support and I hope it 
makes a difference," said Candice Nichols, a science teacher at SRHS and one 
of the nine told they didn't have a job next fall.
The teachers walked the front sidewalk along Mendocino Avenue for about 45 
minutes before first period. The teachers wanted to let the public know how 
they felt.
"I want to support my colleagues," said Bill Cody, an economics teacher. 
"This new procedure is unfair, unjust and underhanded."
"Bad teachers wouldn't get this support," said Andy Brennan, a government 
and world history teacher who is married to Susan Pearson, another Santa 
Rosa High teacher who is one of the nine.
Three of the impacted teachers work at Santa Rosa High.
Earlier this spring they received letters saying they were being let go 
because they weren't a good fit for the district. The issuance of the 
so-called non-re-elect letters sparked outrage among some teachers, parents 
and students who do not challenge the legality of the move, but accuse 
district officials of undue secrecy as to the reasons the teachers are being 
removed.
The letters state the teachers are not a match for the district and will not 
be rehired. But teachers -- many of whom have received strong evaluations 
from their supervisors -- say the letters amount to a black mark and will 
make it hard for them to find jobs elsewhere.
This morning, before 7:30 a.m., Mendocino Avenue was busy, with students 
arriving for school and others perhaps on their way to work. Several drivers 
honked as they passed, seeming to give support to the line of teachers whose 
signs included the slogans "Legal Doesn't Equal Just," "Lies," and "Demand 
the Board Explain."
The protesting staff plans on returning after school, again Wednesday 
morning and making an appearance at Wednesday evening's Santa Rosa School 
District's board meeting.
"We're not interfering with the operation of the school. We love this 
school," Brennan said.
And as planned, just before the school day started, a car pulled up, the 
driver popped its trunk and the teachers hustled to it, to stow away their 
signs.
They then walked onto campus and started their day in the classroom.

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/21/stories/2008042153010300.htm

Protest planned against donation menace in schools
Staff Correspondent
Many government-aided schools collecting donations: KRV leader

Parents will also participate in the demonstration
'Government should ensure transparency in admission process'

Belgaum: The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) will hold a demonstration in 
front of the Deputy Commissioner's office on Monday to protest against 
"donation menace" in English-medium schools in Belgaum city.
Parents will also participate in the demonstration, KRV district unit 
president Rajeev Topannavar said here on Sunday.
He said that many government-aided schools in the city were illegally 
collecting donations ranging up to Rs. 50,000 for admission to pre-primary 
and primary classes. Despite the State Government's direction to Deputy 
Directors of Public Instruction to ensure that no school collected 
donations, no steps had been taken to check the menace, he said.
Donations were being collected in the name of third party to avoid action 
from the Government, Mr. Topannavar said.
The Government should either ensure that there was transparency in the 
admission process or take over the schools that were collecting donations, 
he added. K.U. Kumar, a parent told The Hindu on Sunday that some schools 
were demanding a minimum donation of Rs. 15,000 besides recommendation by 
influential persons for admission to LKG. The maximum donation being 
demanded was about Rs. 40,000, he said. The donation menace was rampant in 
English-medium schools, he said and added that some schools had increased 
the donation amount this year and were collecting it in the name of third 
party. In addition, the schools were collecting money for expansion fund and 
poor student fund which would add up to more than the tuition fee fixed by 
the Government.
Dyanoba B.P., a parent, said that providing education had become a business 
now days. "Private managements (including those of aided institutions) have 
converted the education system into a profit-earning venture as there is no 
one to control them," he said.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161318042

Sando Secondary teachers protest 'dust problem'
For second day...
South Bureau

Saturday, May 3rd 2008

TEACHERS walked off the job at the fire-damaged San Fernando Secondary 
Comprehensive School for a second consecutive day yesterday to protest a 
dust problem that is affecting the health of both staff and pupils.
School resumed last Monday, a week after a fire destroyed the school's 
library and main classroom block, with Education Ministry Esther Le Gendre 
boasting that the Ministry had moved heaven and earth to get the school 
functioning.
But with the demolition of the gutted building and the school being asked to 
use port-a-toilets and temporary classrooms at the back of the school, the 
situation has become unbearable, the Express was told.
Dust problems because of construction protests at the Princes Town and Couva 
Secondary Schools have also led to staff protests.
Teachers said yesterday their main interest was the protection of pupils who 
had to endure the dust problems all day long while staff found refuge in 
their air-conditioned staff rooms.
Several teachers sought treatment for upper respiratory problems.
The promised prefabricated building to house pupils never came, they said.
Teachers left the school at 10 a.m. yesterday after a meeting with Trinidad 
and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (T&TUTA) representatives. Pupils 
were dismissed shortly thereafter. Teachers are expected to report for 
duties on Monday.
But Roustan Job, president of T&TUTA, insisted that work should be carried 
out over the weekend to reduce some of the problems.
He said the Ministry had failed to deliver on its promises. "Teachers were 
promised proper toilet facilities. The toilets came, but there were no tents 
over them and they were not placed in the right location. And teachers have 
reported that the classrooms and staff rooms were not being cleaned 
regularly," he said.
Job said teachers were also concerned about the lack of security at the 
school. "The teachers were promised four security guards, but on Thursday 
there was one and yesterday there were two guards. We are not satisfied with 
that because the back gate is opened most of the time and teachers don't 
feel safe," he said.
An official at the Ministry of Education said they were aware of the 
teachers' concerns. "A team would be visiting the school soon to address 
these concerns," the official said.

http://www.local6.com/education/16041298/detail.html?rss=orlpn&psp=news

Hundreds Of Teachers Protest Feared Budget Cuts
POSTED: 6:54 pm EDT April 28, 2008
UPDATED: 7:35 pm EDT April 28, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Hundreds of teachers and families gathered in downtown 
Orlando Monday to protest feared cuts that they say threaten local schools 
and education.
Orange County has proposed cutting 585 teachers and Volusia County has 
proposed eliminating 300 teachers.
Seminole County may have to get rid of 154 teachers and officials in 
Brevard, Lake and Osceola county officials are undecided how many teachers 
to eliminate.
The group of educators at Lake Eola urged lawmakers to restore school 
funding or at least tap into the state's emergency reserves to get schools 
through the next year.
"We need Gov. Crist to tap into the rainy day funds," Orange County 
Teachers' Union representative Mike Cahill said. "They have to save our 
educational system."
"We feel abandoned," teacher Betty Sasser said. "We feel totally abandoned 
by the legislature. We have lost 43 teachers in my school alone.
Lawmakers said their hands are tied and that the money is not available, 
Local 6's Mike DeForest said.
The teachers said cuts in programs like music, arts and sports could be 
impacted by the cut.
Lawmakers will be finalizing their budge in the next few days.

http://www.nowpublic.com/world/teachers-protest-paris-streets

Teachers protest on Paris streets
by cynthia yoo | May 18, 2008 at 09:31 pm | 164 views | 3 comments
Tens of thousands of teachers marched through Paris streets, protesting the 
education ministry's policies to cut jobs.
The protestors are also unhappy about President Nicolas Sarkozy's plans to 
force schools to stay open in the event of strike action.
Mr Sarkozy was elected a year ago on a platform of reforms, but many of them 
have provoked stiff opposition.
Separately, fishermen angered by rising fuel costs blockaded La Rochelle 
port.
A cordon of 90 fishing boats cut off access to the commercial harbour La 
Pallice on France's Atlantic coast for a fourth day running.
Fisherman also blocked off three fuel depots that serve much of western 
France, by piling palettes up on their access roads. They promised to 
maintain their protest until talks with the government open on Wednesday, 
AFP news agency reported.

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2008/5/19/orange_co_parents_students_protest_school_start_time_switch.html?refresh=1

Orange Co. Parents, Students Protest School Start Time Switch
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 6:44:32 AM
Tools: E-mail | Print | Feedback |
ORLANDO --  Parents and students were out in force Monday, hoping to 
convince Orange County school leaders to reverse a decision to swap the 
start times for middle-schoolers and high school students.
School Board member Rick Roach organized the meeting at Freedom High School 
to ask parents how else the School Board could cut its budget.
The district estimated the swap could save more than $2 million in bus 
costs, but many high schoolers feared getting out of school later would 
impact extracurricular activities, and even grades.
"If this takes effect, I won't be taking lacrosse, probably just getting a 
job after school, be working late. Probably grades won't do so great, 
because you get home late. Don't have much time to do homework," said Sean 
Murphy, a student who did not support the schedule change.
"People have good ideas. We've asked the community to take some ownership in 
this, and so I think this is the way you do it. If you don't like what's 
going on, then help us to find out what else we can do," Roach said.
Roach said he was hoping to convince the board to put this issue back on the 
table for discussion.
A protest was planned Wednesday outside School Board headquarters in 
Downtown Orlando.

http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2008/may/may18/news06.php

Madi schools shut to protest Maoist beating
Schools in Madi of Chitwan district remained shut down, Sunday, not because 
of holiday, but to protest the beating up of two teachers of a local school 
by cadres of Maoist-affiliated Young Communist League (YCL) a few days ago.
Demanding action against the YCL cadres involved in manhandling of the 
teachers of Someshwor Secondary School, altogether 47 private and community 
run schools in Madi of Chitwan didn't conduct regular classes.
Someshwor Secondary School, where some 1,300 students study, had remained 
shut for the past five days. And now with other private and community school 
shutting down to show their solidarity with the teachers, the studies of 
thousands of students in the area has been affected.
On May 13, in the course of an internal dispute, YCL cadres had roughed up 
teachers Krishna Pathak and Ram Nath Tiwari of Someshwor Secondary school 
inside the school premises itself.
Tiwari had sustained serious injuries in the Maoist beating and is still 
convalescing at the local hospital.
Most residents of Madi have a bitter experience with the Maoists. During the 
time of the insurgency Maoists had blown up a passenger bus into smithereens 
there, killing all those traveling in it most of whom were from Madi. 
Although the Maoist leadership has publicly apologized for the party's hand 
in the incident, the Madi residents have since been holding a deep 
frustration and resentment over the Maoists. nepalnews.com ag May 18 08

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=36631

Published On: 2008-05-15
Metropolitan
DU employees protest teacher's misbehaviour
DU Correspondent

Employees and officials of Dhaka University (DU) yesterday staged a 
demonstration inside the registrar building for five hours demanding 
punishment to a university teacher for misbehaving with a group of 
employees.

Several hundreds of employees, mainly working at registrar building, took 
out processions at corridors of the building in several phases since morning 
and held a protest rally in front of the vice chancellor's (VC) office room.

They claimed that Associate Prof ATM Abdullahel Shafee of Peace and Conflict 
Studies Department misbehaved with a group of employees of administrative 
unit of the registrar's office on Tuesday.

While talking to The Daily Star, Dr Shafee dismissed the allegations as 
false and said, "While I asked to give my necessary papers, the concerned 
employees asked me to give a written application. When I inquired whether 
there is a rule in 1973 ordinance that a teacher has to give a written 
application, they rather failed to give me proper answer".

"Without informing me, the VC formed a probe committee through syndicate," 
he said questioning the rationality of the probe committee.

He alleged that taking advantage of the issue, the employees are trying to 
resume their previously banned guestroom rent process in their residential 
quarters to outsiders and meet their other illegal demands.

Pro-VC Prof AFM Yusuf Haider said, "A huge number of files will be piled up 
if they do not join their work. So, I called on them to halt their work 
abstention programme".

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-05-28-0169.html

Parents protest special-education changes
Proposed regulations would reduce parental involvement, they say

Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 12:08 AM

By OLYMPIA MEOLA
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Powhatan County mother Cas Schirra fought for 12 years for her daughter to 
receive special-education services.
The girl, now 18, was granted those services last month.
That made last night Schirra's first public foray into special-education 
legalities from the perspective of a parent. She pleaded with Virginia Board 
of Education members to not decrease parental involvement as they consider 
changes to the state's special-education regulations.
"We as parents desperately need to be involved at every single level," 
Schirra said. "And to take that away from us, to take our voice that is so 
small and so difficult for the schools to hear, would be reprehensible."
Two Board of Education members, several Department of Education officials 
and roughly 150 parents, school officials, special-education teachers and 
advocates listened for hours to brief, emotional speeches that touched on 
many of the proposed regulation changes.
Mothers spoke through tears, fathers told personal stories, many shared 
private hopes for their children's futures. They constituted the largest 
turnout so far to any of the board's comment sessions across the state. The 
hearing at Clover Hill High School in Chesterfield County was among nine 
being held to solicit input on the proposed regulation changes.
A concern shared among most of the parents who spoke hinged on changes to 
parental involvement, including a proposal to allow school officials to 
determine that a student no longer has a disability and discontinue 
special-education services without parental consent.
The Board of Education is revising the state standards to comply with 
federal law. The proposals -- ranging from changing discipline procedures to 
redefining disabilities -- are aimed at streamlining the extensive 
special-education policies and aligning them with federal regulations, 
education officials say.
The Virginia Council of Administrators of Special Education, a nonprofit 
professional organization, has urged adoption of the new regulations. And 
one speaker who supports the suggested changes said last night that Virginia 
has exceeded federal requirements for special-education services for years 
and some changes to state rules would bring them in line with federal ones.
"Is there anything wrong with the rights parents get under the federal 
requirements?" asked Kathleen Mehfoud, an attorney who has represented 
school boards and handled special-education issues for 30 years.
Judging by the cool response to her comments, the crowd's answer was yes.
The Department of Education already has received thousands of comments about 
the proposed changes, including a letter from Gov. Timothy M. Kaine who 
wrote to the Board of Education that "I do not currently see any 
circumstances under which I would approve a final regulation reducing 
parental involvement in these ways."
The Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy, a state agency that 
addresses disability-related problems, also filed comments critical of the 
proposed regulations, writing that "the proposals will seriously undermine 
Virginia's commitment to full acceptance and integration for people with 
disabilities."
Several speakers last night heralded Kaine's remarks and railed against the 
proposed changes.
Bradley Purcell, father of a 15-year-old son with severe dyslexia, took 
issue with the changes to parental consent as well as a proposal to make the 
Department of Education responsible for training hearing officers who 
preside over due-process hearings. Currently, the state Supreme Court trains 
officers who oversee the hearings, which can be costly resolutions to 
disputes between parents and a school system over special-education 
services.
"The Department of Education is in close alignment with local education 
systems for a number of obvious reasons," said Purcell, an attorney from 
Richmond. "The DOE shares the job of implementing the state's educational 
policy and has many budgetary and staffing linkages with school districts."
Board of Education members will complete all public-comment sessions and 
will likely tweak the draft document before taking action, according to 
Charles Pyle, Department of Education spokesman. They aim to take final 
action this fall.
Contact Olympia Meola 649-6812 omeola at timesdispatch.com

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/22/stories/2008052250250300.htm

Schoolteachers stage protest in Erode
Staff Reporter
ERODE: Elementary school teachers of the Tamil Nadu Thodakka-palli Asiriyar 
Koottani staged a protest here on Wednesday.
The teachers condemned the Education Department, Erode, for excluding a 
teacher from the list of those who ought to serve in hill areas in the 
ensuing academic year.
District president of the teachers' association J. Elanogvan said as per a 
Government Order, senior-most elementary school teachers at panchayat unions 
that comprised hills areas ought to serve in hills. However, in the current 
round of transfers, a particular teacher of Anthiyur Union was kept out of 
the loop for reasons best known to officials concerned, he said and wanted 
the teacher to be transferred to hills. The teachers also protested against 
the Department officers for promoting elementary school teachers as middle 
school teacher, when the Director of Elementary Education had issued an 
order against it.

http://www.nbc6.net/education/16349105/detail.html?rss=ami&psp=news

Teachers, Parents, Students Plan Protest Against Budget Cuts
Protest Planned For Wednesday
POSTED: 9:15 am EDT May 21, 2008
UPDATED: 9:16 am EDT May 21, 2008
MIAMI -- Teachers, parents and students plan to raise their voices against 
budget cuts Wednesday outside the Miami-Dade School Board building.
Cuts in the state education budget are forcing the school board to eliminate 
$284 million, the biggest cut in history.
About 1,200 positions are on the chopping block, including many school 
psychologists who have already received layoff notices.
School resource officers will have their hours cut, and funding for the 
magnet school program is expected to be slashed.
The teachers' union is expected to propose moving 150 principals and vice 
principals into teaching positions, saving more than $50 million for the 
district.

http://www.nowpublic.com/world/teachers-protest-annapolis

Teachers protest in Annapolis
by shellieh_19 | May 22, 2008 at 01:51 pm | 37 views | add comment

Israeli teachers protest the participation of Olmert in the summit, as they 
think he should focus on the education crisis in Israel's schools. "Excuse 
our nerve, but what are you doing about education, Olmert?" says another 
banner.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=114712

Protest against closure of school Sunday, May 25, 2008
Khalid Iqbal

Rawalpindi

The parents Saturday staged protest in front of District Coordination 
Officer office against the closure of Government Girls Primary School 
Chountra in Bahiya village.

The primary school management could not take annual examinations of girl 
students. There was only one lady teacher in the school who was also 
transferred to another school some two months ago due to which school 
remained closed.

The parents met DCO Jamal Mustafa and asked him to take immediate action 
against concerned persons. The DCO assured the parents that action would be 
taken against responsible persons.

The parents told 'The News' that there was not a single teacher in the 
school therefore it was closed. They said that their children could not 
appear even in the annual examinations due to non-availability of teachers 
in the school. "We could not afford to send our children to private 
 schools," the said.

http://xymbollab.net/stories/200806021578.html

Cameroon: Parents Protest New PTA Law

The Post (Buea)
2 June 2008
Posted to the web 2 June 2008
Olive Ejang Tebug Ngoh
Some 200 parents of Government Technical High School, GTHS Kumba, have 
picked holes in the new Parents Teachers Association, PTA, law and vowed to 
withdraw their children if it is applied.
The parents protested the new law at the Annual General Assembly meeting of 
the PTA that took place recently at the school.The Principal, Stephen Mbu, 
had read the new circular from the Minister of Secondary Education, Louis 
Mbapes Mbapes, governing Parent Teachers Association, PTA.

He said PTAs would henceforth be controlled by the Ministry of Secondary 
Education. But the parents rejected the application of the circular and told 
the principal that should he go by the order, they would withdraw their 
children from the school.
Joseph Nde, a parent, picked holes in the constitution of the bureau, which 
states that a representative of the local administration would be a member 
of the executive bureau.
Nde said it was shocking to have a gendarme and police in their midst when 
it concerns education. He questioned whether the PTA would have to be 
governed by military rule henceforth.
Corroborating Nde, Godwil Foncham lamented that inviting the forces of law 
and order and the local administration will mean losing fuel money from the 
PTA coffers.He held that most often, local administrators, police and 
gendarmes would want the PTA to fuel their cars before they attend meetings.
Foncham said the new law is a means to crumble PTAs rather than building its 
image.
Another parent, Victor Longla, said bringing administration into the PTA 
set-up is bringing politics to schools. He feared that in the future, 
administrators would dominate the PTAs, and begin to use them for personal 
gains.
The principal told the parents that clandestine students were dominating the 
institution. He said they collect fees, rents and feeding allowances from 
their parents, stay around campus but do not register.
Mbu said such students dash into the classrooms when a school administrator 
is not around and rush out when he appears."Studies are ineffective when 
taken in fright," he said.
Mbu also said parents do not insist to see the reports of their children to 
ensure they are registered.
At the end, both the parents and teachers deliberated on how to improve 
studies in the school for better results to be achieved this academic year.

http://www.keyetv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=91efa93b-218b-4240-ad84-9fa7a450311a&rss=909

Parents protest possible closure of two A.I.S.D. schools
CBS 42 Reporter: Rebecca Taylor
Email: retaylor at keyetv.com
Last Update: 5/31 5:42 pm

Print Story | Email Story

Austin - The TAKS scores for 2008 are in but time could be up for both 
Johnston and Pearce.

Parents picked up their protest signs and converged on the south steps of 
the capitol just hours ago. The message was clear -- these east-side schools 
are making progress, and closing them would do more harm that good.

Both Johnston and Pearce have been rated academically unacceptable for four 
years running based on TAKS results. Many parents say closing those campuses 
would mean busing their kids to already overcrowded schools.

Many today called on legislators to re-evaluate how they assess academic 
progress and called on A.I.S.D. to give the school better resources.

Protesters today pointed to rising TAKS scores as proof their kids are 
trying and deserve to stay where they are. Others want to see the school 
open, but don't want A.I.S.D. in charge anymore.

Gavino Fernandez graduated from Johnston Highschool in 1972 and says, "I 
think that A.I.S.D. has failed, the school board has failed and the track 
record is pretty evident that they've failed in investing and making the 
commitment to educate the children in east Austin."

Susan Moffat opposes the school closings saying, "These schools are making 
progress, their communities are getting involved, their taks scores are 
rising -- just not fast enough by some predetermined ration put together by 
somebody you can bet never walk in the shoes of these kids, or their 
teachers or their families."

Both schools are now planning to present their plans for improvements to 
A.I.S.D. board members soon. From there, they take their case before the 
Texas Education Agency, who will make the final decision.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storyPage.aspx?storyId=121359

Second day of protest held vs QC school's closure

Parents and pupils continued their protest for the second day Wednesday at a 
school in Project 4 district that was ordered closed by the local government 
of Quezon City.

Former Akbayan party-list Rep. Loreta Ann Rosales personally visited the 
parents and pupils who held the rally against the closure of the Belarmino 
Elementary School.

"In the first place, the local government should find an alternative school 
for the children," said Rosales during an interview with radio dzMM on 
Wednesday morning.

The school was ordered closed down by Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to pave 
the way for the construction of a new sports complex.

Rosales said that 478 school children were unable to attend their first day 
of classes last Tuesday because of the closure.

She also appealed to the Department of Education (DepEd) to order the 
teachers to go back and start teaching the school children since the 
blackboards, equipment and classrooms are still there.

Earlier reports said the local government tried to convince parents to send 
their children to a nearby school. Parents, however, said that Pura Kalaw 
Elementary School also in Project 4 is already congested. They added that 
additional pupils will only worsen the situation.

The former lawmaker said this was the problem facing Belarmino pupils who 
transferred to other schools.

"There was a video showing students studying inside the canteen. Why should 
that happen when there are classrooms here?," she said

Rosales said she plans to make an appeal to DepEd Secretary Jesli Lapus and 
Belmonte to resolve the problem.

"Priority is given education. I would like to think that we should 
prioritize education and not ownership. Education is a basic service," she 
said. With Edwin Sevidal, radio dzMM


http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20080610-141902/Students-parents-protest-QC-mayors-school-demolition-order

Students, parents protest QC mayor's school demolition order
By Marlon Ramos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 18:04:00 06/10/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- A picket marred the opening of classes in Quezon City 
Tuesday as around 400 students and parents forcibly opened the gate of a 
public elementary school in Project 4 to protest the order of Mayor 
Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to have it torn down.
Led by officials and members of the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA), the 
placard-bearing protesters assembled in front of Belarmino Elementary School 
(BES) in Barangay (village) Milagrosa as early as 6 a.m.

Belmonte had earlier instructed the closure of the school to give way to the 
construction of a new sports arena.

He also ordered Dr. Victoria Fuentes, the city schools division 
superintendent, to facilitate the transfer of the affected students to the 
adjacent Pura V. Kalaw Elementary School (PVKES).

Only a concrete fence separates the two public schools.

"We call on Mayor Belmonte to honor his promise to us that he will not close 
the school for the sake of our children," said parent Thess Jimenez. "All we're 
asking the mayor is to give classrooms to students from our barangay. It's 
more important than having a sports complex," she added.

Jimenez, a board member of the BES-PTA, said Belmonte told her and other 
officials of their group, during a meeting in his office on April 24, that 
he would not order the demolition of the school until they conduct a 
consultation.

"Clearly, the mayor doesn't have a word of honor," she lamented.

At around 9 a.m., enraged students forcibly opened the gate of BES, which 
was locked by the city government since last month.

"Teachers na lang ang kulang [Only the teachers are missing]," the 
protesters chanted as they scampered inside the school grounds.

Policemen from nearby Quezon City Police District Station 8 were deployed in 
the area to ensure the rally did not affect the classes at PVKES.

But the protesters then went to PVKES where they held a brief dialogue with 
its principal, Nimfa Tolentino, and former BES teachers.

Tolentino, who used to be the officer-in-charge of BES, told the parents 
that she cannot order the return of the teachers to BES unless Fuentes 
issues a memorandum on this.

"I'm just following orders from my superiors. Sorry, but I cannot do what 
you are asking me on my own," she told the parents.

At around noon, the protesters left the area but promised to hold another 
picket on Wednesday.

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/13/stories/2008061357900400.htm

Teacher MLCs join protest
HYDERABAD: Taking their struggle against introduction of English medium in 
government schools a step further, MLCs from teacher constituencies staged a 
protest near the Assembly on Thursday.
The MLCs - Chukka Ramaiah, D. Rami Reddy, P. Subba Reddy, P. Sudhakar Reddy, 
M.V.S.Sharma, K.Lakshmana Rao, V. Balasubramanyam and K. Nageswar joined the 
protest.

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/10/stories/2008061057720300.htm

Vocal protest
- Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

Restive: Activists of the All Orissa Elementary T.G.Teachers Association 
staging a demonstration near Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's residence in 
support of their demands in Bhubaneswar on Monday.

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/08/stories/2008060852700300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Kurnool

AISF protest
KURNOOL: The supporters of All India Students Federation (AISF) staged a 
demonstration on Saturday urging the government to bring about the School 
Fee Regulation Act to discipline corporate schools. Some of the corporate 
schools had no recognition but spent huge amounts on advertisements. The 
AISF leaders said they would intensify the agitation if authorities failed 
to initiate steps in favour of the students.
.-Special Correspondent

http://rss.xinhuanet.com/newsc/english/2008-06/07/content_8323221.htm

Los Angeles teachers stage protest against budget cuts
     LOS ANGELES, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of Los Angeles teachers staged 
a mass protest against possible education budget cuts on Friday, calling for 
increased funding.
    In the protest, the teachers spent the first hour of the school day 
picketing instead of teaching. They went unpaid for the hour they spent 
protesting.
    Protesters were carrying picket signs calling for increased education 
funding. Some teachers even marched alongside some downtown-area streets. At 
some schools, students joined the teachers, chanting and shouting at passing 
vehicles.
    "The teachers of L.A., once again, along with the health and human 
service professionals who work at the schools, have taken a bold step and 
have said loudly and clearly: one hour's pay for the kids of L.A.," said 
United Teachers Los Angeles union President A.J. Duffy.
    At some schools, 100 percent of the teachers participated, Duffy said. 
Many parents of students encouraged teachers with their verbal support and, 
in some cases, by bringing doughnuts, he said.
    There could be more teacher protests in the future, he added.
    Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) officials went to court on 
Thursday seeking a court order preventing the protest, but a judge rejected 
the effort.
    An LAUSD spokeswoman said information was still being compiled on the 
protest, including the total number of teachers who participated.
    Superintendent David Brewer said he supported the teachers' message, but 
not the method.
    "Protest an hour before school starts. Protest an hour after school," 
Brewer told ABC7. "Basically, teach and have the children write letters to 
the governor's office, the legislators. That would send a powerful message 
to Sacramento (capital of California)."
    LAUSD officials feared that the protest would jeopardize students' 
safety, because there would not be enough administrators to look after them 
while teachers were out of the classroom.
    District and union officials have said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's 
proposed budget would slash about 353 million dollars from the district 
budget.
    Officials with the governor's office disagree, insisting that the 
district's budget would actually increase by about 200 million dollars under 
the most recent spending proposal. District officials counter that LAUSD is 
receiving less than what it requested, and the proposed allocation does not 
cover cost-of-living increases. They also claim funding would be cut to 
other programs, further impacting the district budget.
    H.D. Palmer, deputy director of the state Department of Finance, said 
the governor added nearly 2 billion dollars to education funding when he 
revised his budget proposal in May, despite a 15.2-billion-dollar statewide 
budget shortfall.
    Palmer called that commitment "a testament to the fact that this 
governor puts a very high priority on education."

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/01/stories/2008070157320300.htm

Karnataka - Mysore

Protest against 'harassment' by college management
Staff Correspondent
- PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

Plea: Members of the English Teachers' Forum staging a protest in Mysore on 
Monday.
MYSORE: Members of the English Teachers' Forum held a demonstration in front 
of the Crawford Hall here on Monday in protest against the "harassment" of 
teachers by Banumaiah's College management.
The management had refused to relieve Anuradha Ramamurthy, an English 
professor who had served the institution for 36 years, who was to retire on 
Monday. The management asked her to appear before a committee appointed to 
inquire into the "flimsy" charges levelled against her, said S.R. Ramesh, 
president of the forum.
Prof. Ramesh alleged that Vijayakumar, who had taken over as Principal six 
months ago, was harassing teachers, especially those who come under the 
University Grants Commission scheme. Frustrated with the "harassment," three 
women lecturers had complained to the Women Harassment Redressal Cell of 
Mysore University. But despite a notice, Mr. Vijayakumar had refused to 
appear before the committee. The cell, which inquired into the complaint of 
the women lecturers, had submitted a report to the Mysore University 
Syndicate, Prof. Ramesh said.
The Syndicate, which met on May 16, had written to the college management 
asking it to restore the increment due to Prof. Ramamurthy, whichhad been 
withheld. It requested the Director of Collegiate Education to initiate 
disciplinary action against Mr. Vijayakumar, Prof. Ramesh said.
The management asked Prof. Ramamurthy to appear before the inquiry committee 
appointed by the college on the day of her retirement. The forum held a 
demonstration in protest against this. Its office-bearers met the management 
on behalf of the teacher.
"The management finally agreed to relieve Prof. Ramamurthy", Prof. Ramesh 
added.

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/28/stories/2008062857360300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Kurnool

Protest held
KURNOOL: AISF supporters and the non-teaching staff of PG centre staged a 
protest here on Friday accusing the VC of SKU of recruiting non-teaching 
staff for the Rayalaseema University. They said the VC had no right to 
appoint staff from Anantapur when the casual staff here were still to be 
absorbed. - Special Correspondent

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/26/stories/2008062659050300.htm

Protest meet
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A meeting will be organised on the Senate House campus 
of the University of Kerala by the Kerala University Employees' Union in 
protest against what the union sees as attempts by the UDF to create a 
controversy over the revised school textbooks introduced by the LDF 
government. The meeting to be organised at 1 p.m. on Thursday would be 
inaugurated by former higher secondary Director V. Karthikeyan Nair, a press 
note issued here said. - Staff Reporter

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/25/stories/2008062559630300.htm

PMK protest against capitation fee
Special Correspondent
- Photo: S. Thanthoni

FOR A CAUSE: Members of PMK students' wing protesting against capitation fee 
and donations in educational institutions in Chennai on Tuesday.
CHENNAI: Members of Tamizhaga Manavar Sangam, the students' wing of Pattali 
Makkal Katchi, staged a demonstration near Collector's office on Rajaji 
Salai and in Tambaram on Tuesday protesting the collection of huge sums as 
capitation fee and donation in schools and colleges.
Carrying placards and banners, the activists at the protest on Rajaji Salai, 
led by State Secretary of the Sangam K.Saravanan, raised slogans against 
hike in the fees in educational institutions and their collecting donation.
Thought the government was aware of such violations, so far no action had 
been taken, Mr Saravanan complained.
At Tambaram, Kancheepuram district secretary of PMK Mohana Sundaram said 
apart from lowering fee, the private institutions should come forward in 
putting an end to collection of donation. And if they failed, Central and 
State government bodies should step in, pull up the violating colleges and 
put in place a mechanism that would ensure elimination of donation.
Mr. Sundaram said the government should take a thorough look into the 
facilities available to students and staff of self-financing colleges. Many 
colleges, especially technical institutions, collected huge sums from 
students, but facilities in laboratories and libraries were poor, he added.
The protestors said commercialisation of education had become rife more than 
even before, adding that even for admitting children in primary classes, 
parents were forced to shell out huge sums.

http://www.local10.com/education/16682524/detail.html?rss=mia&psp=news

Teachers Protest Outside Mayor's Conference
POSTED: 6:53 am EDT June 23, 2008
UPDATED: 6:54 am EDT June 23, 2008
MIAMI -- While former President Bill Clinton spoke inside, Miami-Dade County 
teachers protested outside the Mayor's Conference.
A group of about 20 teachers demonstrated outside the Miami Intercontinental 
Hotel where school Superintendent Rudy Crew was inside attending the 
conference.
The teachers said they are upset about pending budget cuts that will cut 
thousands of jobs in the district.
This protest is just days after the school board cut nearly 500 teacher 
positions in the county to reduce its budget by $284 million.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/07/2296314.htm

Teachers protest at Wright's office
Posted Mon Jul 7, 2008 12:01pm AEST
Updated Mon Jul 7, 2008 12:23pm AEST

Correna Haythorpe says the SA Govt will keep hearing of teachers' 
dissatisfaction (ABC News)
Map: Adelaide 5000
There has been a protest by state school teachers outside the electorate 
office of South Australian Industrial Relations Minister Michael Wright.
Australian Education Union president Correna Haythorpe says more than 100 
pre-school, school and TAFE staff rallied because a pay offer to teachers is 
inadequate.
She says more protests are planned unless the Government commits to 
improving working conditions and salaries and removes the student-centred 
funding model for schools.
"We are planning to take rolling stoppages from the middle of next term so 
the onus is on the State Government to come to the table to avert that 
action," she said.
"We are rallying at minister Jane Lomax-Smith's office next week and that 
will be primarily to ask her to remove the new schools funding proposal from 
the offer.
"We have negotiations in the meantime and we're hoping the State Government 
shifts their position on this matter before that."

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080717/NEWS/80717039/1263/RSS

JPS parents plan to protest superintendent search process
The Clarion-Ledger . July 17, 2008

A group of parents and community members will hold a 30-45 minute rally at 
noon Friday outside the Jackson Public Schools board room, 621 S. State St., 
in part to request public involvement in the district's interviews of 
superintendent candidates.
Superintendent Earl Watkins announced in early April that he would not seek 
to renew his contract when it expires in June 2009.

They also are asking the board to slow down the timeframe it previously set 
to hire a new superintendent. Board members have said they could hire a new 
superintendent as soon as Aug. 1.

The board has not announced anything about who the applicants are, and are 
expected to whittle the applicants down to a group of finalists during an 
executive session on Friday.

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/20/stories/2008072052810300.htm

Karnataka - Hubli-Dharwad

Three protesters hospitalised
Staff Correspondent
Fine Arts graduates were on indefinite fast since Friday
Recovering: The Fine Arts graduates who were admitted to a hospital in 
Dharwad on Saturday.
DHARWAD: Three Fine Arts graduates who were on indefinite fast since Friday 
were admitted to a hospital here on Saturday after their health condition 
worsened.
They had launched the protest under the aegis of Akhila Karnataka Chitrakala 
Padavidharara Sangha to press for their various demands including expediting 
the process of recruitment of art teachers.
The graduates, who are demanding steps to expedite the process of 
appointment of art teachers in aided schools and relaxation of age limit for 
recruitment in government institutions, had launched a relay fast last week.
However, as they did not get any specific assurance from the Government with 
regard to fulfilling their demands, Bhimshi Irappa Badiger, Bharati Bhimashi 
Badiger and Manjula Hanumanthappa Karigar started their indefinite fast on 
Friday.
District health officials checked their condition at the protest venue on 
Saturday morning. Based on their recommendation, the police took the 
protesters to Civil Hospital and got them admitted.
President of the sangha Basavaraj Benni said that as soon as the three 
protesters were hospitalised C.B. Hiremath and Roshan Hampannavar, Fine Arts 
graduates, began their fast.
He said that the indefinite fast would continue till the Government took 
steps to fulfil their demands.
The protesters are demanding that the Government issue a notification on the 
recruitment of 1,700 art teachers as most of the candidates are on the verge 
of exceeding the age limit, make appointment of art teachers mandatory in 
all government and aided primary and high schools, bring uniformity in 
education offered in private and government schools, frame a separate 
curriculum for Fine Arts and fill vacant posts of artist in various 
departments, among others.
Several organisations have extended their support to the Fine Arts 
graduates. On Friday, members of Akhila Karnataka Prathamika Shikshakara 
Sangha led by Gurumurthy Yaragambalimath staged a dharna to express 
solidarity with the protesters.

http://www1.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/MI89933/

Miami-Dade teachers protest after school board denies pay increase

Related Links
Video: School board denies Miami-Dade teachers protest for pay raise
MIAMI (WSVN) -- Miami-Dade teachers are protesting and asking for support 
Monday afternoon after the school board denied them a promised pay hike.
The United Way met this afternoon for their annual budget meeting and now 
teachers are reaching out to them, asking for their help. "We're reaching 
out to the United Way because we need their help. We support the United Way 
100 percent," said Frederick Ingram of the United Teachers of Dade.
Harve Mogul, president of the United Way in Miami-Dade County said his 
nonprofit organization will help out for the sake of the students. "We're 
siding with our children," he said. "We need, in Miami-Dade, teachers who 
feel empowered and respected."
Sunday night close to 200 angry educators gathered in an auditorium Sunday 
night to fight for what officials promised them. "We're not asking for a 
six-figure salary here," said Katie Patterson. "I'm a third-year teacher. 
I'd be making $43,000. It's not like it's a big, big deal."
School district officials backed out of the scheduled pay increases after 
they were confronted with a $250 million short fall. "There's a provision in 
our contract that says that if the funding is inadequate, we can sit down 
and reopen the agreement, which is what we're doing," said Deputy 
Superintendent Ofelia San Pedro.
The decision to suspend raises was made by Miami-Dade School Superintendent 
Dr. Rudy Crew, who was not present at Sunday's meeting.
Last week, Crew responded to people who thought he should be the one cut. 
"It's a statement of frustration, and I don't take it personal," he said.
Many teachers are taking the matter personally. "We all know what the cost 
of gas is. We all know what the cost of milk is. How are to survive?" said 
Karen Aronowitz, President of the United Teachers of Dade.
The United Way said they will do whatever they can to keep things amicable 
between both sides. "These are all well-meaning people, on both sides of 
this," said Mogul. "It's up to us, in this county, and somehow or other 
we've got to figure it out."
Both sides are expected to meet again on Wednesday.

http://wnyt.com/article/stories/s497168.shtml?cat=300

Posted at: 07/01/2008 11:47:56 PM
Updated at: 07/02/2008 12:42:38 PM
By: Jim Kambrich
Print Story  Email to a Friend

Transfer of Guilderland teachers protested
GUILDERLAND - Approximately 200 protestors packed the Guilderland School 
Board meeting Tuesday night - students, teachers and parents. They're 
angered over the forced transfer of two popular social studies teachers.
Matt Nelligan and Anne Marie McManus are being transferred to Farnsworth 
Middle School for the start of school in September.
Nelligan said the administration accused the social studies department of 
having an inappropriate climate and blamed him and McManus for it.
Nelligan said they've done nothing wrong.
At one point the meeting became so heated, the Board left the room early to 
go into private executive session. This, after refusing to hear public 
comment on the transfer.
Board members said personnel matters would only be discussed in executive 
session, but the crowd was having none of it.
After board members left, Nelligan took the microphone and the crowd 
conducted its own meeting.
Board members were not available for comment because they went into 
executive session.
There's no telling what impact if any the gathering will have on the Board's 
decision. But those who attended Tuesday night's meeting said at least their 
voices were heard.

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/07/15/east-timor-teachers-protest-and-get-a-pay-rise/

East Timor: Teachers protest and get a pay rise

Tuesday, July 15th, 2008 @ 12:41 UTC
by Paula Góes

Moriae [pt] celebrates the local teachers' victory after a manifestation 
over pay rise in East Timor. They used to be paid less than Portuguese 
teachers working in the country.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200807171081.html

Cameroon: Sultan Intervenes in Protesting Lecturer's Case

The Post (Buea)
17 July 2008
Posted to the web 17 July 2008
Joe Dinga Pefok
It took the intervention of the Sultan of Foumban, Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya, for 
the Minister of Higher Education, Prof Jacques Fame Ndongo, to receive the 
striking lecturer at the Douala University, Dr Amadou Monkeree.
The lecturer, who is a subject of the Sultan in the Bamoun Clan, had gone on 
hunger strike, to protest against a ploy by the University of Douala not to 
upgrade him. The Douala University Council, which met on July 10, ignored 
the grievances of Monkeree and that of Prof. Jean Gatsi who sympathised with 
him.

The university authorities argued that the striking lecturer did not present 
the originals of his certificates at the time he was recruited.Monkeree told 
reporters at a press briefing on July 15 that he reported the matter to the 
Sultan. He also said the Sultan saw that the documents were genuine and was 
surprised by what was happening.
He said he also presented the originals of his diplomas, which the Rector, 
Prof Bruno Bekolo Ebe, had claimed he had never presented since 
2001.Monkeree said the Sultan was furious, when he saw the certificates and 
a copy of a letter which his former university, the Amadou Bello, University 
in Zaria, Nigeria, wrote in response to a letter from the authorities of The 
Douala University to check the veracity of Monkeree's certificates which he 
obtained as well as his teaching experience at the institution.
According to Monkeree, the letter from Amadou Bello University got to the 
then Acting Rector of the Douala University, Prof Nicole Claire Ndoko in 
2002. He said the lady hid the letter and he had to spend FCFA 130.000, for 
an insider to secretly make a photo copy for him.
The said Prof Ndoko is still at the Douala University, and has not released 
the letter till date. Rather, she and the Rector, Prof Bekolo, continue to 
claim that Amadou Bello University has so far not responded. They are also 
insinuating that Monkeree's story about his study as well as his work at the 
institution is spurious.
Dr Monkeree revealed that the Sultan created a committee, comprised of some 
Bamoun intellectuals, to examine the issue. Monkeree disclosed that three 
other lecturers at the Douala University also travelled to Foumban, to 
present their grievances to the Sultan. They all corroborated Monkeree's 
complaints of victimisation at the institution.
Sultan's Envoy To Yaounde
Dr Monkeree said the Sultan assigned one of his assistants with a letter to 
take him (Monkeree) to Yaounde to meet the Minister of Higher Education on 
the 15 of July alongside Prof Gatsi.
The aggrieved lecturer said when Prof Fame Ndongo examined the originals of 
his diplomas; he confirmed that they were all genuine. He said the minister 
said he felt scandalised by the insistence of the authorities of the Douala 
University to the contrary.
Monkeree further said the Minister of Higher Education assured him and his 
colleague that he will personally see into the problems and seek out a 
lasting solution.The two lecturers declared that they had resolved to end 
their strike action and resume work, counting on the promise of the It 
should be recalled that Dr Monkeree had said authorities of the University 
of Douala had refused to upgrade him after he started a fight against 
certain ills in the school.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=45523

Published On: 2008-07-13
Metropolitan
Protest against manhandling of guardian at city school
Unb, Dhaka

Guardians yesterday demonstrated at a city school to protest alleged attacks 
on a guardian of a student who passed the SSC examination from there this 
year.

Jahirul Islam, father of Fouzia Islam who achieved GPA-5, went to AK School 
and College at Dhania to collect his daughter's testimonial.

The violence erupted as Jahirul was locked in an alteration after he refused 
to pay Tk 100 to the school authorities for the certificate.

At one stage, some employees of the school and college allegedly beat 
Jahirul.

As the news of manhandling spread, some guardians came onward and rescued 
him.

Later, the guardians demonstrated and demanded resignation of the Principal 
Selim Bhuiyan.

Police and Rab members were deployed on the school premises to avoid any 
further violence.

Members of the school managing committee held an emergency meeting in the 
afternoon.

AK School and College achieved 7th place in SSC examination this year.

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/12/stories/2008071260101000.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Students protest shifting of school
HYDERABAD: Students of the Government High School in Erramanzil staged a 
rasta roko protesting against the shifting of their school in the name of 
expanding Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) and putting the 
future of 700-odd poor students in a dilemma.
Students led by the All India Democratic Students' Organisation (AIDSO) 
demanded that it be shifted only after an alternative site was shown to 
them.

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/12/stories/2008071252310300.htm

Karnataka - Hassan

Protest against shortage of teachers
Staff Correspondent
HASSAN: Residents of Bidaruru in Ramanathapura hobli in Arkalgud taluk on 
Thursday locked the Government Primary and Higher Secondary School in their 
village, protesting against the shortage of teachers. According to B.P. 
Ramesh, former gram panchayat president, they made several pleas for filling 
vacant posts to the Education Department, but were ignored.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200807290521.html

Nigeria: Teachers' Protest Claims Pupil's Life

Daily Champion (Lagos)
29 July 2008
Posted to the web 29 July 2008
Lagos
NORMAL business activities were grounded, yesterday, in Benin, the Edo state 
capital, following protest by teachers in the state over the current impasse 
between them and the federal government just as the strike action took its 
first major toll following the death of a school pupil in Benin yesterday.
The deceased identified as John Uwague, a primary three pupil of one of the 
government-owned primary schools along Upper Sakpoba, Benin City, was said 
to have fell inside a well beside his family house as he was playing 
football with some of his playmates.

The protest which was the first of its kind since the past few months 
compounded the already heavy traffic situation in the ancient city of Benin 
as protesting teachers took over some of the major roads within town forcing 
traffic to a halt.
It would be recalled that teachers in the country under the umbrella of the 
Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) had embarked on an indefinite strike action 
to press for an improved welfare system.
Efforts by the federal government to get the striking teachers back to 
classrooms through series of meetings have proved abortive as both parties 
have so far continued to maintain hard stand.
The protest in Benin started peacefully as early as 8.00am with more than 
3,000 teachers in attendance.
Before the commencement of the protest, the Edo state chairman of the NUT, 
Comrade Joe Aligbe, had said that the union will not compromise its stand on 
the current strike action, adding that teachers in the country has suffered 
neglect and other forms of degradation without response from the concerned 
authorities.
At Ring Road, some children who attempted to join the protest were chased 
away by men of the Nigerian police who were monitoring the protest.
The teachers armed with various placards and inscriptions first invaded the 
complex of the Edo state House of Assembly where they were addressed by the 
Speaker, Mr. Zakawanu Garuba before they headed for the Government House.
Meanwhile, police in Benin has commenced investigation into the death of the 
pupil.
Spokesman for the Command, Mr. Peter Ogboi, who confirmed the tragic 
incident said the Command has commenced investigation and urged youths in 
the area not to take laws into their hands.
Efforts to get the comment of his parents proved abortive as atmosphere of 
sorrow and grief engulfed the family house.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200807251058.html

Nigeria: NUT Strike - Teachers Stage Mass Protest in Kano

Daily Trust (Abuja)
25 July 2008
Posted to the web 25 July 2008
Yusha'u A. Ibrahim
Kano
Thousands of primary schools teachers yesterday staged a mass protest rally 
in Kano over the non-implementation of Teachers Salary Scale by the Federal 
Government, vowing not to call off the strike until the new salary structure 
is implemented.
The protesters, who kicked off the protest from Marhaba Cinema at Farm 
centre in Kano, marched to the Government House where they presented their 
letter of complaint to the state governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, for 
onward presentation to President Umaru Musa Yar'adua.

Led by the national president of the teachers union, who was represented by 
his deputy, Mr Isacc Acheeme, the teachers also marched to the state House 
of Assembly where they also presented a copy of the same letter to the 
speaker, Alhaji Abdulaziz Garba Gafassa.
Earlier before the commencement of the rally, the mammoth crowd performed 
rigorous prayers against what they called enemies of progress.
Speaking while presenting the letter to the state governor, the deputy 
national president of the union, Mr Isacc Amcheeme, said teachers across the 
country would continue with the strike until their prayers are answered.
"We will continue to give Yar'adua headache until he implements the TSS. Our 
request is only TSS, and there will be no teaching in primary schools until 
the TSS is introduced by the Federal Government", he said.
He hinted that the mass protest would also be organised in eight other 
states next week and it would continue like that across all the states of 
the federation until their prayers are answered.
Also speaking, the state chairman of the teachers union, Yunusa Isa 
Danguguwa, said it was unfortunate that the Federal Government refused to 
respond to teachers' demands almost four weeks after the commencement of the 
strike.
"It is a shame on FG that is claiming rule of law, respect to due process, 
and yet the request of teachers could not be granted. It is unfortunate that 
while the teachers are crying for just TSS, members of the Senate and House 
of Representatives are about to receive millions of naira from the public 
treasury," he argued.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Teachers_protest_against_transfer_orders/rssarticleshow/3266856.cms

Teachers protest against transfer orders
23 Jul 2008, 0358 hrs IST,TNN
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JAIPUR: Gopal Lal Sharma, a teacher at the UPS Surajpura government school 
was shocked to see his name in the state education department's transfer 
list.

Despite generating good results for the school, he had been transferred to 
Raypura school. What was more shocking was that that the department claims 
the transfer order was issued on Gopal Lal's desire.

"I never filed an application for transfer yet I have received the order. 
There was no question of my performance as the students of my class have 
been giving steady results between 62% to 100% each year since 2000," said 
Gopal Lal who has been demonstrating at Shiksha Sankul along with several 
other teachers who had similar complaints regarding the transfer orders.

"Teachers who should be punished for poor results are instead placed on 
lucrative posts in urban schools. The department has cited performance as 
the reason for transfers, and it is misjudged in most of the cases due to 
which a large number of innocent teachers suffer," said Anil Kumar Sharma, 
Dausa district secretary of teachers' union.

The Rajasthan Teachers Union has raised a protest against the irregularities 
in the recent transfer orders and alleged the department officials of 
corruption.

On Tuesday, leaders of the teachers union met the minister of state for 
education Babulal Verma and the education minister Kalicharan Saraf before 
going to Shiksha Sankul where they protested against the administration. The 
demonstrators complained that the officials have been demanding money to get 
people transferred on desired posts.

"We have been requesting the education ministry to look into the matter and 
consider our demands but the government
has denied irregularities in the transfer decisions. Though the education 
minister has assured to consider the issue, we will not let injustice to be 
done to the teachers," said Sultan Singh Ola, teachers' union state 
president.

The teachers are also trying to push back the implementation of the 
ministry's new policy which will enable student guardians to appoint the 
head and the vice-president of School Development and Management Committee. 
This policy if implemented the representatives appointed by the guardians 
will have administrative powers over the teachers.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080722/SCHOOLS/807220302/1026/rss06

Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Rally planned to protest charter schools in Detroit
Jennifer Mrozowski / The Detroit News
DETROIT --Detroit Public Schools supporters plan to rally in Lansing this 
week in hopes of persuading lawmakers to restrict more charter schools from 
opening in the city.
Two former Detroit Public Schools teachers, who are community activists, 
sent out a press release on Monday, urging parents, teachers and others to 
meet at the Detroit Federation of Teachers headquarters at 8 a.m. Wednesday 
for a caravan to Lansing.
"We have stopped Lansing's charter school legislation many times before, but 
only by mobilizing Detroiters to go there -- usually at the last minute, 
because the state government does so much of its business in secret," the 
release from Steve Conn and Heather Miller said.
In an unrelated matter, the teachers were recently fired from the district 
after their participation in a protest last year on school closures. They're 
suing.
Despite their dispute with the district, the activists say they want to 
prevent additional city charter schools, which are often considered 
competition for the public school system.
The teachers say they are worried about pending legislation that would 
protect the district in some financial matters, but not against additional 
charter schools.
The state's budget bill preserves certain financial perks for Detroit Public 
Schools by redefining its status as a "first-class" school district. A 
first-class district is defined as one with 100,000 students or more. The 
106,485-student district was in danger of losing some of the privileges if 
its enrollment dropped below 100,000 students. However, the budget bill 
redefines a first-class district as one with 60,000 students or more.
The teachers are disappointed that a separate provision in the state's 
school code would not be changed. That provision prevents certain community 
colleges from authorizing additional charter schools in a first class school 
district of 100,000 students or more.
By not changing the school code's definition of a first-class district, Bay 
Mills Community College and Wayne County Community College District could 
authorize more charter schools in Detroit if the Detroit Public Schools' 
enrollment falls below 100,000 students, Conn said.
The school code should be amended so that the definition of a first class 
district is the same as in the state budget bill, he said.
"We want them to stop allowing charters in whatever form," Conn said.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhqlmheyeykf/rss2/

Labour Youth to protest against third-level fees
Print

13/08/2008 - 08:01:13
Labour Youth is holding a demonstration today to protest against the 
possible re-introduction of third-level fees.

Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe confirmed earlier this week that his 
department would be examining the move to ensure funding for colleges and 
universities is maintained.

He says any new fees would target more affluent members of society.

However, Labour Youth says the reintroduction of fees would create a further 
barrier to education.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=129140

Teachers threaten protest drive against Hyderabad Nazim Sunday, August 10, 
2008
By our correspondent

HYDERABAD: The Government Secondary Teachers Association (GSTA) on Saturday 
threatened to launch a protest drive against the anti-teacher attitude of 
the District Nazim, Hyderabad, and delay in promotion of teachers.

A general body meeting of the GSTA, Hyderabad chapter, was held here with 
President Zameer Khan in the chair.

The meeting gave the August 15 deadline to the District Nazim, Hyderabad, 
for accepting the demands of teachers or a protest drive would be launched 
by besieging his office and demonstrations staged across the district.

Teachers of four Talukas of Hyderabad, including City, Latifabad, Qasimabad 
and Rural, attended the meeting and expressed their deep concern that the 
teachers of Hyderabad had been deprived of their due promotions for the past 
four years.

The meeting noted that all documents and legal formalities had been 
completed and papers were submitted to the Nazim two months ago but he and 
his office were delaying the process.

They also accused the Nazim of creating problems for the teachers during the 
selection-grade process. The meeting condemned the attitude of the Nazim and 
demanded of the Sindh chief minister and the provincial education minister 
that powers of giving promotion to teachers should be withdrawn from the 
Nazim and given to the EDO education.

Meanwhile, dozens of civil rights activists and freed peasants here on 
Saturday took out a rally from the Tilak Incline to the Hyderabad Press 
Club, demanding of the government to implement agricultural reforms and 
provide facilities to labourers.

The Sindh Hari Porihat Council organised the rally, which marked the death 
anniversary of Shaheed Nazeer Abbasi and the International Day for the 
Indigenous People.

Addressing the participants, Punhal Sariyo, Ramzan Memon and others said 
people would not get their fundamental rights unless the agricultural 
reforms were implemented in the country. They sought amendments in the 
Tenancy Act as soon as possible, demanding that a bill should be passed in 
the assembly concerned in this regard. They called for the government to end 
bonded-labour and ensure basic rights for labourers.

They also demanded setting up of peasant courts in the province.

They said that end to feudalism was only possible by taking pro-labourer and 
peasant measures. They called for the government to fulfill its promises 
made during the election campaign of providing basic necessities of life to 
them.

They also demanded an end to the operation in Balochistan and the occupation 
of natural resources of Sindh.

Meanwhile, some peasants of the Khairpur Mirs observed a hunger strike in 
front of the press club here on Saturday against the local influential 
people. The peasants accused influential people of forcing them to vacate 
their agricultural lands, which they had been occupying for decades.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=129095

Who ordered torture of protesting youths in Shahbaz's Punjab? Saturday, 
August 09, 2008
By Muhammad Ahmad Noorani

ISLAMABAD: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif hasn't taken any action against the 
Home Department or the Punjab police officials on Thursday's torture of the 
National Commission for Human Development's educated personnel, who were 
demonstrating against their sacking, government officials said.

But some other officials named provincial Home Secretary Nadeem Hassan Asif 
as the man who ordered the baton-charging. The NCHD was instituted by 
Musharraf. These officials feel that the home secretary was acting on the 
instructions of some high-ups in the government. Nadeem denies the 
allegation.

Shahbaz Sharif has, in the recent past, been very vocal against the vicious 
use of state machinery against innocent civilians during the dictatorial 
regime of Musharraf. But his oblivious ignorance of the brutal use of force 
against the educated youth on Thursday has surprised many.

Many officials of the CM's team, when contacted to know as to who had 
ordered the police action, said that the demonstrators had tried to enter 
the premises of the provincial assembly and that the police were left with 
no option but to stop them by force.

According to Khalid Javed, a NCHD employee from Okara, the demonstrators 
only wanted to register their presence in front of the Punjab Assembly to 
record their protest. "All of a sudden, a police party attacked us and 
started beating everyone in the rally."

Khalid said that even those who were sitting in vans or personal vehicles 
were also attacked by the police. Home Secretary Nadeem Asif said there were 
no specific orders to attack the demonstrators. He, however, confirmed that 
no action had still been taken against anyone responsible, claiming that 
responsible officials "will be punished".

The NCHD was constituted at the start of Musharraf's regime to bestow the 
serving as well as ex-Army personnel with the 'objectives' of human 
development through increasing literacy rate and good health. However, the 
institution turned out to be a white elephant as it achieved nothing in 
seven years and only became a platform for lucrative salaries and benefits 
for the friends of Musharraf.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article4576856.ece

August 21, 2008
Heads withhold results in protest at the 'factory farming' of pupils
Nicola Woolcock
Eton, St Paul's and Winchester College are among dozens of independent 
schools boycotting league tables by refusing to release their exam results.
Their head teachers claim that the rankings penalise schools that take 
weaker pupils and encourage the teaching of softer subjects.
Martin Stephen, High Master of St Paul's School, said: "The reason we are 
pulling out of league tables is we are coming dangerously close to 
factory-farming children."
Others argued that the GCSE and A-level "monolith" no longer exists because 
some schools now offer alternative exams, which are hard to compare. Graham 
Lacey, deputy head of Sevenoaks School in Kent, said: "We offer the 
International Baccalaureate instead of A levels, so league tables don't do 
us justice. It's a far more complicated qualification than A level and 
harder to quantify. It's like comparing chalk with cheese. Our results will 
be on our website next month."
Sevenoaks also offers international GCSEs, which are widely regarded as 
tougher than GCSEs but are not recognised by the Government. Mr Lacey said: 
"Many schools have deep concerns about modular GCSEs."
Almost 50 independent schools, including Radley and Marlborough colleges, 
have withheld their A-level results. A similar number are expected to do the 
same with the GCSE results being published today.
However, many leading independent schools will publish them. They include 
Brighton College, where Rich-ard Cairns, the Headmaster, said: "There is a 
sense among some heads that parents place too much emphasis on league 
tables. My own feeling is that . . . parents should be given as much 
information as possible so that they can make a truly informed choice."

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/24/stories/2008082461030200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

College teachers plan protest rally
Special Correspondent
On the eve of Minister's visit

Objection to move to convert college into university
Public views to be heard on August 26

MADURAI: Members of college teachers' associations, trade unions and 
students have decided to take out a protest rally here on August 25.
The Select Committee of Tamil Nadu Assembly including Minister for Higher 
Education, K. Ponmudy, is scheduled to hear public views on August 26 on the 
State Government's proposed move to convert the Thiagarajar College of 
Engineering and Thiagarajar College here into a university.
Strong condemnation and opposition came from the Madurai Kamaraj, 
Manonmaniam Sundaranar, Mother Teresa and Alagappa University Teachers' 
Association (MUTA) which held a press conference here on Saturday 
questioning the rationale behind privatisation of government-aided colleges.
P. Vijayakumar, former General Secretary of MUTA, told reporters that the 
Government should not convert Thiagarajar College into a private university 
"as it is detrimental to the interests of both students and teachers in all 
aspects - be it reservation, fee structure, students' scholarships and 
teachers' appointments through community roster system."
Time inadequate
The association's zonal president, S.Thiagarajan, demanded more time to 
listen to public views since the allotted 45 minutes is not enough for 
people to express their opinion before the committee which will meet people 
at the Madurai Medical College on August 26.
"When many political parties including the Congress and the PMK are opposed 
to the privatisation bill, why should the DMK Government go ahead by 
ignoring everyone," Dr. Thiagarajan questioned.

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/24/stories/2008082452750300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

Teachers plan protest rally
MADURAI: Members of college teachers' associations, trade unions and 
students have decided to take out a protest rally here on August 25.
The Select Committee of Tamil Nadu Assembly including Minister for Higher 
Education, K. Ponmudy, is scheduled to hear public views on August 26 on the 
State Government's proposed move to convert the Thiagarajar College of 
Engineering and Thiagarajar College here into a university.
Strong condemnation and opposition came from the Madurai Kamaraj, 
Manonmaniam Sundaranar, Mother Teresa and Alagappa University Teachers' 
Association (MUTA) which held a press conference here on Saturday 
questioning the rationale behind privatisation of government-aided colleges.
P. Vijayakumar, former General Secretary of MUTA, told reporters that the 
Government should not convert Thiagarajar College into a private university 
"as it is detrimental to the interests of both students and teachers in all 
aspects - be it reservation, fee structure, students' scholarships and 
teachers' appointments through community roster system."
By privatising this aided college, the Government is 'giving everything on a 
platter' to a private individual without taking into account the public 
opinion which is unfortunate for democratic process.MUTA called for a 
procession on August 25 by involving all stakeholders.

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/21/stories/2008082153940400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

College teachers stage protest
HYDERABAD: About 4,500 members of the AP Affiliated College Teachers' 
Association on Wednesday staged a State-wide protest by sporting black 
badges, in response to a call given by the Joint Action Committee (JAC), to 
press their demands, including withdrawal of GO 35. They conducted gate 
meetings, rallies to protest the 'anti-teacher' policies of Central and 
State governments. -Special Correspondent

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20080819-155581/UPDATE-Teachers-protest-at-GSIS-over-oppressive-policies

(UPDATE) Teachers protest at GSIS over 'oppressive policies'
'Unfair,' says exec
By Katherine Evangelista
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 13:44:00 08/19/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- A group of public school teachers protested the 
Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) office in Pasay City on Tuesday 
to protest its alleged "oppressive and exploitative policies" and called on 
its president and general manager Winston Garcia to resign.
But GSIS executive vice-president for corporate support Enriqueta P. 
Disuanco denied the allegations of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers and 
branded them as "unfair."
"The pent-up anger of teachers and other government employees against the 
oppressive policies of GSIS under Winston Garcia cannot be underestimated," 
said Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) chairperson Antonio Tinio.
He added that Garcia was "unfairly recouping" billions of pesos worth of 
losses sustained by the GSIS due to years of alleged "inefficiency, 
mismanagement, and corruption" through "unjust and erroneous deductions" 
from benefits of its members.
"In many cases, GSIS is so ruthless in demanding its pound of flesh that 
retirees are left with nothing," Tinio said.
Aside from conducting a program outside GSIS, the group also set up a 
complaints' desk where teachers reported their grievances against the 
agency.
Most complaints were over alleged "onerous interests and surcharges" imposed 
upon members and other erroneous records of the GSIS, said ACT secretary 
general Francisca Castro.
She added that there were also complaints regarding retirement benefits, 
salary loans, and life insurance maturity, among others.
ACT also called for the writing-off of "onerous" interests, penalties, and 
surcharges and demanded for the full-payment of benefits and immediate 
refunds to members who were victims of the GSIS' alleged unjust deductions.
"We are documenting the complaints, [and] then we'll submit them to the GSIS 
for urgent action," Castro said.
Among those who vented out their grievances was Candida Tiglao, a 68 
year-old retired public school teacher, who claimed that she has not 
received a single centavo of her pension since retiring in 2005 after 
serving for almost 24 years.
Tiglao said the GSIS automatically withheld her 18-month lump sum and her 
monthly pension as payment for the housing loan she availed in 1998 in the 
form of a deed of conditional sale (DCS) which stipulated that failure to 
pay three consecutive monthly installments would render the sale cancelled 
and all previous payments would be considered as rent.
Tiglao's DCS was cancelled in 2002 and the property has since been 
foreclosed by the GSIS. But her loan continued to increase due to compounded 
interest and by 2007, has ballooned to P1.69 million.
Tiglao said she was not able to live in the house but despite this, the GSIS 
still demanded her to pay the loan through her pension until 2012.
"I was penniless when I retired... Ito ba ang hinihintay ng mga teachers sa 
aming [Is this what the teachers are waiting for on their] retirement day? 
Ito ba ang ipinagmamalaki ng pamahalaan ni Gloria Arroyo at Winston Garcia? 
[Is this what the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Winston 
Garcia boasting of]?" Tiglao said.
Disuanco said those who were complaining were experiencing difficulty in 
paying off their loans and did not represent the majority of GSIS members.
She added that the teachers might have been "delinquent in a way" in terms 
of paying their loans that is why they were experiencing difficulties.
"Kung 'di ka naman delingkwente hindi ka naman mahihirapan [You should not 
find it difficult to pay your loans, if you are not delinquent]," Disuanco 
said.
She also denied allegations by teachers that the GSIS deliberately failed to 
deduct from their contributions and loan payments from their monthly 
salaries so that the agency could compound the interest for the money to 
earn more for the agency.
The GSIS submits weekly deduction reports and it is the Department of 
Education's task to deduct the amount from the teacher's salaries, Disuanco 
said.
However, there would be times when the DepEd would fail to deduct the loan 
payments from the teachers' salaries, Disuanco admitted.
"Kapag kasi may utang pa ang mga teachers sa ibang lending institutions at 
mababawasan na ang kanilang required take-home pay na P3,000 [This is 
because if the teachers have loans from other lending institutions and the 
teachers' take-home pay would go lower than the required P3,000], the DepEd 
no longer deducts the payment to GSIS," Disuanco said.
She added that based on their last computation, the DepEd has some P7 
billion in debt to the GSIS due to failed deductions of contributions and 
payments and that Garcia had been communicating with DepEd to settle these 
accounts.
Nevertheless, Disuanco urged public school teachers to present their 
documents to the GSIS so that they could fix their records.
As of posting time, teachers were talking to GSIS officials in the agency's 
gymnasium where their complaints against the agency's heads were being 
heard.
Disuanco also defended Garcia, saying that calling for his resignation from 
the GSIS was unfair since he had implemented many "reforms" like 
computerizing and centralizing members' records.
It was also after Garcia assumed office in 2001 that the GSIS' income had 
increased to P40 billion annually from the previous P13 billion, allowing 
the agency to support its members' benefits until 2056, Disuanco said.
"Let us look at his accomplishments," she added.

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=62591&provider=rss

Arrowmont may lose home; protesters oppose sale
Jake Jost     Updated: 8/22/2008 6:52:28 PM    Posted: 8/22/2008 6:39:34 PM
The Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts may soon lose its lease on a 
historic piece of Gatlinburg property, but school supporters don't want to 
see that happen.
The Pi Beta Phi national fraternity owns 72 acres of land in the heart of 
Gatlinburg.
The fraternity is considering selling the property, which would cause 
Arrowmont to lose its lease.
Protesters gathered at noon Friday to rally against the sale. They said the 
school's contribution to the community is more important than another 
tourist attraction in Gatlinburg.
"More congestion, more of what we already have. This is a gift to our 
community. This our our legacy. This is who we are," demonstrator Virginia 
McKinney said.
Pi Beta Phi first built a settlement school in 1912 and has owned the 
property since then.
If the sale goes through, the fraternity has pledged $9 million to Arrowmont 
for them to find new facilities and continue the school's work.
"We have a long history of involvement in and service to the Gatlinburg 
community," said Arrowmont Director David Willard. "We are recognized as one 
of the premier arts and crafts schools in the country. We are committed to 
honoring our tradition and history. Our intention is for the school to 
continue."

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=610713&rss=yes

SA teachers protest at minister's office
17:25 AEST Thu Aug 7 2008
19 days 2 hours 9 minutes ago
Hundreds of teachers protested outside the office of South Australian 
Industrial Relations Minister Paul Caica, before a series of rolling strikes 
came to an end.
Almost 100 public schools and preschools were closed as teachers conducted a 
fourth day of rolling half-day strikes in support of a claim for a 21 per 
cent pay rise over three years.
So far the government has offered just under 10 per cent over the same 
period with Premier Mike Rann this week describing the pay demands as 
"unaffordable".
The Australian Education Union (AEU) is also seeking a new funding model to 
provide extra money to reduce class sizes and to attract and retain staff.
AEU state president Correna Haythorpe said hundreds of teachers called on Mr 
Caica to resolve the dispute.
He wasn't there due to a series of meetings but he set up urns to provide 
tea and coffee for the striking teachers.
"He was very hospitable," Ms Haythorpe said.
"We have ongoing negotiations today and tomorrow, we think both parties need 
to get together and work it out."
Mr Caica said the government and the union were still "miles apart" from 
resolving the dispute.
"The only way that we can do that is by getting around the table and 
continuing to talk about the issues that concern the union," he told ABC 
radio.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/07/2296314.htm?section=business

Teachers protest at Wright's office
Posted Mon Jul 7, 2008 12:01pm AEST
Updated Mon Jul 7, 2008 12:23pm AEST
Correna Haythorpe says the SA Govt will keep hearing of teachers' 
dissatisfaction (ABC News)
There has been a protest by state school teachers outside the electorate 
office of South Australian Industrial Relations Minister Michael Wright.
Australian Education Union president Correna Haythorpe says more than 100 
pre-school, school and TAFE staff rallied because a pay offer to teachers is 
inadequate.
She says more protests are planned unless the Government commits to 
improving working conditions and salaries and removes the student-centred 
funding model for schools.
"We are planning to take rolling stoppages from the middle of next term so 
the onus is on the State Government to come to the table to avert that 
action," she said.
"We are rallying at minister Jane Lomax-Smith's office next week and that 
will be primarily to ask her to remove the new schools funding proposal from 
the offer.
"We have negotiations in the meantime and we're hoping the State Government 
shifts their position on this matter before that."