Education Strike Paralyzes Shabwa Schools… 4 Months of Salary Delays Threaten to Collapse the Academic Year

Yemen Monitor / Ataq / Exclusive:

The government education sector in Shabwa governorate (southeast Yemen) witnessed a complete paralysis of the educational process on Wednesday, following a general and comprehensive strike by teachers protesting the continued non-payment of their salaries for over four consecutive months. This escalatory step reflects the depth of the living and economic crisis they are enduring.

Educational sources confirmed to “Yemen Monitor” that most public schools across the governorate’s districts closed their doors, indicating that the strike resulted from teachers running out of patience, finding themselves forced to teach “for free” amidst record-high prices of basic goods and the deterioration of the local currency’s value.

A number of striking teachers stated that the authorities’ disregard for their suffering and failure to commit to paying their dues pushed them to strike as a “last resort” to secure their rights. They warned that the continuation of this disregard would put the entire academic year at risk of stopping and collapsing.

In a related context, parents and students expressed their deep dissatisfaction with the disruption of education and the halt of their children’s academic progress. They held the government and local authority directly responsible for this crisis, demanding immediate intervention to ensure the disbursement of salaries and the provision of a stable and dignified educational environment.

This escalation comes at a time when Shabwa is suffering from escalating service and economic challenges, exacerbating the burdens on citizens and threatening the stability of vital sectors, including the education sector, which is one of the fundamental pillars of development.