Kfar Qara School Strike Suspended After Hygiene Deal

The parents' committee at Al-Hawarna Elementary School in Kfar Qara announced Sunday evening that a planned strike for Monday has been suspended, with classes resuming as normal. The decision followed a meeting with the local municipality and an inspection of the school's facilities, which came after protests over hygiene conditions.

A joint statement from the Kfar Qara municipality and the parents' committee stated that a meeting was held Sunday to address and resolve the hygiene issue. This was followed by a tour of the school to assess the cleanliness of its premises and readiness to receive students. The parents' committee expressed appreciation for the municipality's efforts in cleaning the school on Sunday evening, while the municipality pledged to continue monitoring hygiene levels.

The strike was called off after understandings were reached, and students were urged to return to school on Monday. The municipality confirmed that school doors would be open as usual.

The school's parents' committee had previously announced the protest strike, citing ongoing, unaddressed hygiene problems despite repeated appeals to responsible parties. A letter from the committee head, Abdelrahman Othmaneh, to Mayor Firas Budhi highlighted that concerns raised on September 13th had not led to significant changes. The committee noted that despite various meetings and promises, the issue persisted, including the absence of cleaning staff during school hours.

The municipality, in a separate statement, detailed immediate actions taken, including an urgent meeting with the contractor and deploying cleaning crews. It explained that the cleaning staff's absence was due to alleged mistreatment and feelings of insult within the school, leading them to leave. The municipality condemned any abuse or disrespect towards the cleaning staff, emphasizing their vital role and vowing to address such incidents firmly.

Both the municipality and the school administration affirmed their commitment to ongoing monitoring and ensuring a clean, safe learning environment. The joint statement was issued by Mayor Budhi, committee heads Othmaneh and Sheikh Nassim Othmaneh, and education department head Sultan Ismail.