Wasim Kleish, head of the steering committee of the Teachers’ Syndicate in Al-Arban, commented on the ongoing general strike decision as the school year begins and the possibility of reaching an agreement with the government.
Kleish, speaking in a phone interview with Libya Al-Ahrar TV, said the committee has followed the latest statement from the syndicate, which calls for teachers’ rights. He stressed that communication and discussion remain open between teachers and the authorities.
He said teachers are not seeking a strike or sit-in unless all legal options have been exhausted. He expressed hope to engage with the relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Education and local education offices, to seriously consider the teachers’ demands.
Kleish outlined the main demands, chief among them the adjustment of salaries for education sector employees according to the unified pay scale, similar to other sectors. He explained that the unified scale offers significantly better pay than the current Law No. 4, and there is a large gap between salaries in education and other sectors, with teachers’ salaries now at the minimum level.
He also highlighted the urgent demand to pay the class allowance for eligible teachers for the 2025/2026 academic year. He said the education and finance ministries had promised to process these payments following a meeting with the prime minister, but the allowances have not yet been disbursed.
Kleish further called for implementing health insurance in the education sector, as well as addressing classroom overcrowding in schools. He described this as a persistent problem affecting both students and teachers.
He urged the enactment of a “Teacher’s Rights Law” or “Teacher Protection Law” to ensure teachers’ professional and social rights are preserved.
Kleish emphasized that the teachers staged their protest before the official start of the school year, hoping authorities would respond to their demands. He asserted that teachers across Libya do not want to disrupt state functions or harm students in any way. He insisted any protests would remain within legal bounds, and if sit-ins occur, they would be held legally and in an organized way within schools without absenteeism.
He noted that teachers’ unions in both eastern and western municipalities have expressed solidarity, with some announcing sit-ins before the academic year to pressure authorities.
Kleish concluded that the movement’s message has reached the ministry and that the main goal is not simply to strike, but to secure the legitimate rights of teachers.