Qalansawe Municipality Announces School Strike Over Funding Cuts

The Qalansawe Municipality has announced a comprehensive strike across all its educational institutions, including primary, middle, and high schools, kindergartens, and preschools, scheduled for the upcoming Monday. The strike is a protest against a funding reduction of approximately 2.55 million shekels by the Ministry of Education.

The municipality stated that the funding cut stems from financial irregularities discovered within the "Nitzanim" (Buds) project during the 2022-2023 academic year, a period predating the current administration's tenure. The current leadership has disavowed any connection to these past transgressions.

Following consultations between the municipal council and the head of the Parents' Committee, the decision was made to strike. The municipality cited both the "financial irregularities and misuse of funds" from the previous administration and the severe impact of the funding reduction on the timely payment of salaries for education department staff and assistants.

The municipality warned that the budget cut will directly affect the quality of educational services and the ability to meet the essential needs of students, especially with the new academic year beginning amidst already limited resources.

Furthermore, the municipality indicated that protest actions will escalate if the Ministry of Education does not respond and address the crisis. They emphasized their commitment to serving the community and ensuring students receive their educational rights without compromise. A detailed statement from the mayor is expected soon, outlining the circumstances and planned actions.