Public teachers divided as some continue strike, others return to class

Contract teachers rallied Monday in front of the Education Ministry and blocked roads, demanding a further salary increase and higher transport allowances.

Other public teachers returned to class, partially ending a two-month strike.

Last week, cabinet had approved to give teachers a daily transport allowance that equals 5 liters of gas for four work days for full-time teachers or three work days for contract teachers.

Public school teachers had been on strike, demanding an adjustment of their LBP salaries as the Lebanese pound lost more than 95% of its value and the price of gas surged.

They were already underpaid before the onset of the economic crisis two years ago and have since been pushed deeper into poverty.

Their salaries in pounds are a fraction of what they used to be due to the currency's rapid devaluation.

Many cannot afford to purchase fuel to go to work after the government gradually lifted subsidies causing the price of hydrocarbons to more than quadruple within a few months.

After cabinet responded to some of the teachers' demands, some returned to class and others refused to go back to teaching before their demands are met.

They said the gas allowances will only be received in April and that their salaries have further lost their value as the LBP fell from about 64,000 pounds to the dollar to 88,000 on the black market last month.

On Monday, it traded at 80,000 to the dollar on the street, making things hard in a country reliant on imported food, fuel and other products priced in dollars.

Supermarkets last week also started pricing items in dollars, after a government announcement allowed it.