Barran Press
On December 29, 2024, sources in Taiz province, southwestern Yemen, reported a complete halt to educational activities as teachers continue their strike into its second week. The teachers accuse government authorities of stalling in responding to their demands.
The educators are calling for the payment of overdue salaries, a reassessment of the wage and salary law, and reforms that reflect the current economic conditions, particularly the ongoing depreciation of the local currency.
Abdulaziz Sultan, the head of the Taiz Teachers’ Union and an advisor to the Ministry of Education told Barran Press that the strike will persist until the central government addresses the union's demands outlined in their strike statement.
“Our strike is not for the sake of striking; we demand parity for teachers in Taiz with their counterparts in other provinces,” Sultan stated, expressing frustration over the central government's indifference to what he described as "simple" requests.
He added that the teachers initially engaged in peaceful protests, including sit-ins and marches, and hoped these actions would prompt the central authorities to resume salary payments and meet their demands.
Sultan emphasized the severe hardships faced by educators, noting that “many teachers are now unable to provide for their families’ basic needs.” He underscored that a teacher cannot perform their duties effectively while preoccupied with personal financial struggles.
He urged parents of students to support teachers in pressing the relevant authorities to respond to their legitimate demands.
Earlier, the Yemeni Teachers’ Union in Taiz requested an increase of 30,000 Yemeni riyals to teachers' salaries, aligning them with those in Marib and other provinces. In an official letter addressed to Taiz Governor Nabil Shamsan, the union reiterated calls for salary increases and additional incentives to cope with rising living costs, citing previous unaddressed requests.
The union has urged local authorities in Taiz to raise teachers' salaries similar to actions taken by local governments in Marib, Hadramaut, Al-Mahra, and Aden, where increases have ranged from 30,000 to 60,000 riyals.
While the internationally recognized Yemeni government has been disbursing salaries across various state sectors, the continuous depreciation of the Yemeni rial against foreign currencies has exacerbated employee hardships, prompting many to leave their jobs for the private sector.
In areas controlled by the Houthi movement, classified as a terrorist organization, salaries for public employees, especially teachers, have not been disbursed since 2016. The Houthis obstructed the Yemeni government's efforts to resume salary payments in 2018, despite initial plans to do so for health and education sectors.
In December 2018, the Yemeni government and the Houthis reached a UN-brokered agreement to pay salaries from the revenues of the Al-Hudaydah port. However, the Houthis subsequently seized control of the central bank in Al-Hudaydah, appropriating port revenues for their benefit.