Demanding salary increase | Teachers go on strike in western countryside of Deir Ezzor

Deir Ezzor province: SOHR sources have reported that teachers in several towns in west Deir Ezzor countryside have announce the start of a strike, demanding increase of their salaries, as the current salaries have not met their monthly expenses, as they described, especially with the ongoing freefall of the Syrian lira against the US dollar.

According to SOHR sources, several male and female teachers working at schools in the towns of Al-Keser, Al-Zaghira, Jazeera, Al-Jazarat and the areas of Al-Izba and Al-Ma’yzilah have participated in this strike.

SOHR sources have also reported that the teachers demanded activation of the role of the “Teachers’ Union” and appointment of guards at schools in theses areas. This strike comes a few days after announcement about a strike by teachers in Theban, Swidan Jazira and Al-Tayyanah in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor.

Speaking to SOHR, a 37-year-old teacher known by his initials as M. S. and works in a preparatory school in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor said, “since two years, the ‘Teachers’ Union’ has deducted 2,500 SYL from the teachers’ salaries under ‘medical support.’ However, the union does not care less about the educational process.”

Another teacher known as A. N. from the western countryside of Deir Ezzor told SOHR, “education sector in west Deir Ezzor countryside lost 35 teachers in 2021, as they immigrated due to the poor living conditions and low salaries in light of the sharp fall in exchange rate of the Syrian pound against the US dollar. In addition, most of the region’s schools have been put out of service, after having turned into military headquarters by ISIS during their control of the area.”