Trade unions cancel education staff strike

Three trade unions announced on Monday night the cancellation of a four-day strike by the education staff, initially scheduled to be observed starting this Tuesday, following a last-ditch meeting chaired by prime minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi.

On Monday night the government agreed to raise the budget earmarked for the teachers compensations to four billion Dirhams (USD 347.8 million), from the initially proposed one or two billions and to adopt a system of exams, professional qualification and seniority in internal promotion and renounced the quota system.

The budget will be allocated over four years starting next September.

The meeting also reached an agreement on the education department staff statute that will modernize the human resources management, improve teachers' working condition and reconsider hiring, evaluation and promotion criteria.