site.btaRomanian Teachers Rally in Bucharest, Demand Education Minister's Resignation
More than 1,000 from Bucharest and other parts of Romania protested in front of the government building in Bucharest on Wednesday, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Daniel David over austerity measures that also affect education.
Protesters from the Romanian capital, from Giurgiu, Mehedinti, Teleorman, Vrancea, Bacau, Caras-Severin, Vaslui, Ialomita, Prahova, Curtea de Arges, and other parts of the country were chanting "Resignation!" and carrying signs that read "The minister wants peace? We want respect," "[Prime Minister Ilie] Bolojan, leave us alone. Go home with Daniel David," "Dignity for education," "Your laws are destroying Romanian schools," "Teachers want respect, not pensions," "Education costs nothing. Education is an investment," and "Everyone rise up in protest because the country is full of thieves."
Marius Nistor, Chair of the Spiru Haret Federation of Education Trade Unions told BTA: "The current Minister of Education should not have agreed to the strict austerity measures adopted by Ilie Bolojan's government. He [David] defended himself by saying that this was the only way to ensure teachers' salaries until the end of the year. But student scholarships were drastically cut. At the same time, the number of students per class has increased. If the minister does not resign, we are preparing a general strike. And we will organize it at a key moment in the school year. In the meantime, we will not stop protesting."
Thousands of Romanian teachers boycotted the start of the school year in September, staging a large-scale rally in Bucharest. Teachers demonstrated in front of the Ministry of Education building throughout the summer. Their demands include an end to the increase in teaching hours to 20 hours per week, a halt to school mergers, the reversal of job cuts, the provision of funds for student scholarships, and a correction of the chronic underfunding of the education system.
On Tuesday night, David said in an interview for Radio Romania that trade unions are doing what they must, i.e. defending their rights, while he is also doing what a minister should.
/RY/
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