Qalansawe Schools to Strike Over Major Budget Cut Threatening Staff Salaries

The municipality of Qalansawe has announced a comprehensive strike across all its educational institutions, including elementary, middle, and high schools, kindergartens, and nurseries, scheduled for the upcoming Monday. This action is a protest against a sudden deduction of over 2.5 million shekels from the education system's budget.

According to Deputy Mayor Afif Jiosi, this unexpected cut jeopardizes the municipality's ability to pay the salaries of hundreds of education sector employees in the coming days. He emphasized that the strike is not an end in itself but a measure to pressure the Ministry of Education into finding a swift resolution.

Jiosi explained that the municipality received notification of the potential deduction on Thursday evening, only to discover on Friday morning that the funds had already been withdrawn. The amount cut represents more than half of the monthly allocations for Qalansawe's education system, which normally totals around five million shekels. These funds are primarily designated for staff salaries, placing the municipality in a critical situation that threatens regular wage payments for over 420 employees.

The municipality attributes the deduction to alleged financial irregularities in the "Bar'am" project during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years, a period predating the current administration. Jiosi stated that the Ministry of Education had not officially contacted the current leadership regarding these issues, making the sudden execution of the cut particularly shocking. He asserted that the current administration bears no responsibility for the past violations.

Following the strike announcement, the municipality initiated contact with the Ministry of Education, leading to a meeting between ministry representatives, the mayor, and professional staff. Jiosi expressed hope for a resolution that would prevent the strike, stressing the municipality's desire to avoid disrupting education while demanding a solution that protects employee salaries.

This latest crisis unfolds against the backdrop of Qalansawe's existing financial difficulties, with total debts reportedly around 130 million shekels, a significant portion of which is owed to the water company Mekorot. Jiosi noted that an investigative committee had recommended the continuation of the current administration, acknowledging it inherited the financial crisis. The municipality has developed a recovery plan and approved its 2026 budget but requires intervention from the Interior and Finance Ministries to address the long-standing accumulated debts.