October 1, 2007

Bulgarian teachers' strike continues

The strike by teachers in Bulgaria is gaining further momentum. Here a news report: http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=85907      Former colleagues write me that there are plans for all state universities to be struck from mid-October if wage demands in higher ed are not met. Below an open letter to parents and pupils from the striking teachers at Lazarov Technical High in Plovdiv, 28 Sept. [translation mine, text from indymedia BG].    Bill
 
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Dear parents and pupils,
 
We are turning to you in connection with the strike action now ongoing in the schools across the nation. We are convinced that despite contrary (dis)information you may have, you will understand and appreciate the rationale of our strike action and give it your support.

We wish to state clearly that our strike is solely a civil action, and has nothing to do with any political alignments or parties in the country. We, as morally responsible individuals, educators of the future generation, know that our calling as teachers and our responsibility are to the nation. For that reason, we cannot countenance and accept the fact that Bulgarian education has been brought to its knees, that ‘experiments’ are being made [with its integrity]. The authority of teachers has been severely eroded, the work of educators devalued.
 
Bulgarian education is a concern of the entire people, and the future of this nation depends on it. Our history has demonstrated this. During the darkest period of our servitude under the Ottomans, Bulgarians valued the education of their children as a matter of the highest priority, for Bulgarians it was the ‘shining beacon.’ Today Bulgarian educators are afire with that same spirit of our historical national revival, but our place within the society has been downgraded, devalued to the breaking point. For that reason, we can no longer tolerate this and remain silent, we who are witnesses to the very destruction of Bulgarian education.
 
Our demands are carefully considered, precisely formulated -- and not the fruit of some emotional outburst of anger. We are turning to because of the way the government -– and some of the media which are that government’s servants -- are attempting to manipulate public opinion. Lies have been published about the salaries of teachers, different professional classes are being pitted one against the other. The aim is clear: to whip up ill feeling in the society against the Bulgarian teachers.
 
And at the same time, the government is concealing the way it is saving tens of millions of  Bulgarian leva in the budget by the closing down of schools [no longer needed]. It is from this budget surplus in the Ministry of Education, which actually exists here and now, that we call for a raise in our meager salaries and more funds for supplies and equipment in our schools – from this budget surplus in the MoE, and not funds to be taken from pensioners or nurses or other government workers.
 
We insist that a proper percentage of the GNP be allocated in the state budget for 2008 for the needs of education. We hope that as parents you will understand our demands and give us your support, because this affects the education of your children, who are also our children. In the struggle for more spirit and intellect, we must all stand together.
 
Signed: striking teachers, Lazarov Technical High School, Plovdiv
http://bulgaria.indymedia.org/newswire/display/17978/index.php