Maldive: Teachers dress in black to protest low salaries

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Dr Abdul Muhsin had said on Sunday that salaries of teachers would be improved within the next two months, some teachers claim that these promises are hard to believe.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Haveeru Online
By  Azuhaar Abdul Azeez | Apr 6, 2014

A large number of Maldivian teachers have gone to work on Sunday wearing black clothes in protest of the failure of the government to increase their salaries and other benefits.

The education ministry has earlier asked teachers to refrain from participating in the 'black clothes' strike planned by the Teachers' Association.

But the association's president Athif Abdul Hakeem told Haveeru that more than 90 percent of public school teachers had attended work on Sunday wearing black clothes. Teachers in the atolls too had worn black to school, he said.

Athif stressed that the teachers' willingness to defy the education ministry's directive showed their deep dissatisfaction with and aspirations to improve their working conditions, salaries, allowances and resources. He called upon the top ministry officials to think profoundly regarding these aspirations and find a swift solution.

"We are not only protesting to increase our poor salaries and allowances. This is also about improving the resources that are made available to teachers and schools. Also, we urge the government to find qualified and talented teachers," he said.

Athif claims that the silent protest is ultimately done for the betterment of the students.

"Student development depends on efficient teachers, resources and the teacher's satisfaction and motivation," he said.

Although education ministry's permanent secretary Dr Abdul Muhsin had said on Sunday that salaries of teachers would be improved within the next two months, some teachers claim that these promises are hard to believe.

"They have been continuously making such promises for over a year. It is implausible," a teacher from the oldest school in Male, Majeedhiya School, said.

A teacher from the private Ahmadiyya School said that there is no equality in civil service salaries and that the rewards given to teachers are low compared to other civil service jobs.

"I'm a degree holder, but my take-home income is barely MVR 9,300. This is very small compared to other occupations," the teacher said.

Another teacher noted that the salaries given to O-Level standard civil servants at some government offices are higher than that of degree level teachers. This teacher, who had been teaching for 15 years, said that it was "unfair".

The teacher explained that most teachers living in Male would be unable to manage with these salaries, forcing them to do "non-stop tutoring" after school hours. The teacher said that this affects teachers' concentration and preparation for lessons at school.

Teachers Association has said that district schools in Male and expatriate teachers were not asked to partake in protest, but that they have also attended work in black.

In a directive, Muhsin from the education ministry had said that pamphlets distributed to schools by the association consist false allegations that might create conflict and unrest. Since school premises are "dignified", teachers must not do anything that may have a negative effect on students, he said.

"... Therefore, no one must participate in an an activity encouraged in the documents distributed under the name of Teachers' Association on April 6. Please inform the teachers working in your institutions accordingly," the directive sent to schools read.

But the Teachers' Association had warned "unified action" if the ministry reprimanded any teacher following Sunday's strike.


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