Qalansawe Mothers Protest Special Needs Transport; Strike Halted

Mothers in the city of Qalansawe protested the municipality's failure to provide transportation for their children with special needs at the start of the academic year. They demanded the municipality secure transport services, deeming it a fundamental right for students.

The mothers stated it was "unreasonable to open the academic year without transportation," urging the municipality to fulfill its responsibilities and vowing to continue their struggle until a solution is found.

Following the protests, the Qalansawe municipality announced on Sunday the suspension of a planned strike for Monday. The strike would have affected all schools, kindergartens, and preschools in the city. The decision came after a Zoom meeting and calls with the Ministry of Education.

The municipality explained that the meeting addressed a reduced and withdrawn sum within the "Bra'em" project for the 2022-2023 school year. They will investigate the municipality's request and potential solutions, with future steps depending on the follow-up results.

The municipality emphasized that suspending the strike aims to allow students, staff, and educators to continue the academic year normally "until further notice." Previously, the municipality stated that the transport contractor halted services despite the municipality owing no money to him. They thanked Dr. Shireen Nator Hafe, director of the Arab Education Department at the Ministry of Education, for her intervention and efforts to resolve the issue, promising to announce any developments.