Teachers strike continues: Uncertainty surrounds students’ return to school

The Teachers’ Union has decided to return to work with morning shifts only, after reaching an agreement with the Caretaker Education Minister to provide incentives, productivity allowances, transportation allowances, and other demands.

While the union considers the agreement inadequate, they have chosen to accept it to save the school year. However, the problem is that not all teachers will comply with the union's decision.

For instance, in secondary education, there are two types of teachers: permanent and contractual. The permanent teachers are divided into two groups: One will attend based on the union's decision, while the other calls for signing in at the secondary schools with the condition of leaving afterwards to hold a sit-in in front of the Education Ministry on Monday.

As for the contractual teachers in secondary education, they have declared their return to work as they considered that they are the only ones who have suffered the loss of three months' worth of dues and are solely responsible for paying the price of strike.

However, the teachers here are also divided, because some refuse to return, especially those who teach for only an hour or two, as they consider it not worth the effort.

In primary education, there are also two types of teachers: contractual teachers, who are the majority, and permanent teachers, who are the minority. Moreover, the majority of contractual teachers will not attend, while some permanent teachers will comply with the union's decision, and others will not.

Therefore, Monday's scene will resemble chaos, with schools opening but without the presence of several teachers. Students will have to attend classes taught by whichever teachers show up. The Education Ministry is expected to take action in response to these developments, which could potentially set the education system back to square one.