Open-ended strike by teachers in occupied Manbij

Protesting the non-payment of their salaries for over seven months, teachers and educational staff in the occupied city of Manbij and its countryside began an open-ended strike on Monday morning.

The strike has led to the closure of schools across the city and its rural areas, depriving thousands of students of access to education. The move marks an escalation after the failure of repeated promises to pay salaries and formalize teachers’ employment.

According to educational sources, the salaries of more than 6,500 male and female teachers have been cut off since the occupation of Manbij city and its countryside more than a year ago. Despite receiving repeated promises of formal employment and the payment of financial dues, those promises have not been fulfilled.

Teachers from the city said they continued to report to work and teach since the beginning of the occupation, out of concern for maintaining the educational process and avoiding school closures. They noted that the so-called “Educational Complex” distributed only 2.5 million in total more than seven months ago, with no subsequent payments, while teachers continued working without financial compensation.

Teachers in Manbij city and its countryside had previously organized several protest vigils and sit-ins, but these actions received no response.

As part of the escalation, teachers in most schools across the city and its countryside have begun an open-ended strike until their demands are met. Schools participating in the strike include al-Yasati, Umm Adsa, al-Mughayrat, Awsajli, Mil Wieran, and al-Nahliyah.

A number of teachers also gathered in front of their schools, holding banners demanding their legitimate rights, the payment of overdue salaries, and improved living conditions.

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ANHA