Teachers delay strike to hold discussions with President Yameen

The Teachers’ Association decided to postpone their strike planned as part of expressing their concerns until they meet with President Abdulla Yameen.

Speaking at a meeting held last night at Imadhudhin School, the president of the teachers’ Association, Athif Abdul Hakeem said that they have been given the opportunity to meet the president, and so they will proceed with their strike after hearing the president’s verdict on their dilemma.

Athif said that the strike has not been called off and they are waiting to hear what the president has to say.

“We have decided not to go on the strike until after we meet the president and receive his decision,” Athif said.

He added that he believes that the president will solve the teachers’ concerns.

Athif pointed out that they planned to go on strike because they were not given the opportunity to negotiate, which they have now been granted with. He added that if they were to face any obstructions, they will go on strike.

Speaking on the agreed timeline between the Teachers’ Association and Education Ministry, vice president of the Teachers’ Association, Abdulla Razee said that the framework for teachers should be completed and sent to the President’s Office for approval by the 23rd of next month.

He said that according to the timeline, the association should be allowed to participate in the ministry’s Educational Fund and committees appointed to make decisions related to teachers.

“We have achieved 99 percent of the things we wanted to include in the timeline. The only thing left is to get a date by which the framework for teachers will be implemented,” Razee said.

He also mentioned that negotiations are ongoing between the association and the ministry regarding overtime pay.

The teachers who spoke at the meeting said that they are ready to go on strike any moment if they are not given any solutions.