Algeria: Hunger threatens 8 thousand pupils in school canteens

Education facilities across Algeria are feared to face a declining budget as early as next January with nefarious repercussions on the daily catering to be provided to over 8 thousand pupils in numerous school canteens in various parts of the country.

This looming shortage has been compounded by the protracted school bursars’ strike which has now entered its fourth month.

This also coincides with the advent of the 2015 financial year.

Meanwhile, the secretary general in charge of communication of the national union of education workers and training, Messaoud Amraoui, told Echorouk that the prolonged school bursars’ strike could have adverse consequences on the smooth running of the country’s school establishments.

He said that this long drawn-out work stoppage which is now in its 60^th day could have been resolved if the education ministerial department didn’t stand idly by and ignored the legitimate bursars’ socio-professional claims.

Mr Amraoui also pointed to the school bursars’ prominent role in carrying out their schools’ financial schemes, stressing that their work stoppage is a serious hurdle to the normal functioning of the country’s schools.

He further emphasized that an adequate solution to this vexed issue should be thrashed out at the earliest before things go further awry.