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Rabat – The National Coordination Committee of “forcibly contracted teachers” is calling on all educators to carry out a three-day strike to protest violence against contractual teachers during a demonstration held on Monday, March 15.
The committee issued a press release on Sunday, calling on all teachers to show solidarity with their colleagues, who were subject to violence from anti-riot police during the demonstrations.
The statement calls for education personnel to carry out the strike from Monday to Wednesday.
Several other unions called for a similar move, including the National Union for Education who called for a strike on Tuesday, for the protection of teachers’ dignity.
The unions also asked teachers to gather in front of regional academies across the country on Thursday to protest the security approach against such protests.
Following the protest, Morocco opened an investigation to arrest an individual who appeared in videos and photos beating people.
Police arrested the man, who is now in custody for further investigation before the court trial.
Read also: Morocco Arrests Man for Using Violence During Teachers’ Peaceful Protest
Citizens, activists, and teachers, however, are calling for the expansion of investigation to involve all people from security services who used violence during the protest.
On March 15, hundreds of teachers rallied in Rabat against a lack of response from the government for their demands.
Since 2019, teachers have been calling the government to integrate them into the public sector.
The demand came after the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance signed a joint partnership agreement, recruiting teachers under contracts since 2016.
The contractual teachers expressed anger against the move, arguing that they had no other chance other than signing contracts due to lack of employment opportunities.
The contractual teachers, who call themselves “forcibly contracted” educators, denounce “inequality” between themselves and their colleagues in the public sector.
Contractual teachers who spoke to Morocco World News said their monthly salaries are ranging between $500 and $540.
When teachers go for strikes, their salaries become lower than $400 due to the deduction the regional academies impose due to their absence from classes.
Teachers working under contracts are also not allowed to sit exams to evaluate their performance, which could increase their pay grade.
The educators also flagged their retirement situation as those working under contracts will only receive 40% of their monthly salary after retirement.
To date, the Ministry of Education did not react to Monday’s protest.
