At least 6000 striking teachers protested in front of the Palestinian Legislative Council and Prime Minister office in Ramallah, and chanted slogans against the government, got not improving their conditions.
The teachers demanded the government to implement the new civil service law, and increase their salaries which remained unchanged for the last several years.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qorei told the teachers that the P.A will implement the Civil Service law in July, and that salary raise will be applied May 4th.
After protesting in front of the PM office, the teachers headed to the PLC building in the city, while PLC members were holding a session discussing their strike.
PLC member Hasan Khreisha told the striking teachers that the PLC will take the needed legislative procedures against the government if it does not fulfill its promises to implement the law.
Khreisha added that the teachers’ council expects more than promises; ‘it expects full implementation of the new lawâ€Â.
Minister of education, Dr. Naim Abu Al-hummus, said that the law will be implemented May 4th, and called on the teachers to end their strike, which he considered “unexplainedâ€Â.
 “The ministerial committee which was assigned to ensure implementing the new law of the teachers will assemble this weekend, in order to approve the law, and transfer it to the PLC for approvalâ€Â, Abu Al-Hummus said.
Dr. Salam Fayyad, minister of finance, said that he hopes that this issue we be handed peacefully and carefully.
PLC member Burhan Jarrar warned that teachers strike could extend, and that more departments might join the strike, and demanded the P.A to take into consideration the degrees of the teachers and their qualifications.
Burhan criticized the appointing unqualified staff over the last six months, and described it as “selective employment disregarding the qualifications and certificates employeesâ€Â.
