Teachers’ pay protest in Moldova draws educators from across the country
A teachers’ pay protest organised by the Education and Science Workers’ Union is taking place today from 9:00 to 11:00, amid anger that education staff have gone a year without a salary increase. According to statements by Tofan cited by the organisers, there are also no indications that the authorities intend to raise their pay in the near future.
From early morning, the square outside the Government began filling with teachers from across the country. They are demanding that the authorities honour a promise made last December to increase salaries from 1 September, chanting: “A promise made must be kept!” and “Decent salaries for young people in education!”
Maia Sandu said yesterday that the delay in raising teachers’ salaries was linked to external factors, including the conflict in Iran and the energy crisis. Her explanation comes amid criticism that senior officials and employees of state-owned enterprises and the National Bank have received substantial pay increases while funds have not been found to index teachers’ salaries.
The government, meanwhile, says teachers’ salaries are its “number one priority” this week. But educators say they are tired of waiting and no longer trust assurances from officials after previous promises went unfulfilled. Unions warn that if salaries are not raised on 1 September, the teachers’ pay protest will expand into nationwide action throughout the month, with an “education emergency” threatened from 1 October.
School reorganisation dispute adds to tensions
At the same time, Education Minister Dan Perciun is facing a separate dispute over plans to reorganise the gymnasium in the village of Lingura while teachers are protesting. Local councillors have already refused three times to vote for converting the school into a primary school with a kindergarten.
The formal reason cited for the proposed reorganisation is that the school has only 39 pupils, while the closure threshold is 35. Critics therefore argue that there are no numerical grounds for shutting down the institution, particularly as local councillors say pupil numbers have increased.
District councillors also claim they were threatened with investigations by the National Anticorruption Center if they failed to vote “correctly”. According to them, they were warned that checks would continue until they agreed to convert the gymnasium into a primary school with a kindergarten.
Against this backdrop, preparations are under way in the same square for Independence Day celebrations, with a stage being assembled as thousands of teachers gather for the protest. The available space for demonstrators appears limited, adding to accusations that the authorities are less concerned about the teachers themselves than about the visibility of their demands.
