CD-ROMs of lessons pressurize Benghabrit and put BAC exams in jeopardy

The National Education Minister, Nouria Benghabrit has enjoined the school Inspectors to tour educational institutions, in order to convince students, especially those who are expected to sit for the 2015 session of the Baccalaureate examination that the distributed “CD-ROMs” will not replace the pivotal academic contribution of the teachers but should be regarded as a “pedagogical” means of support in preparation for their end of year exam.

She said the CD-ROMs containing lessons had been supplied of late to the end of secondary school cycle students to help them catch up on missed courses because of the unabated teachers’ strike staged for four weeks now  at the call of the independent unions from the education sector.

As a result of this never-ending strike, the BAC exam is imperiled and the students are now at a loss in the face of this bleak situation threatening their academic future.

“These  CD-ROMS  put at the disposal of the pupils by the education ministry could not substitute for the teachers’ explanations  at the classroom but I consider this move as a pedagogical tool of support for the BAC candidates’ preparedness for the D. Day”, the minister further explained.

The widespread strike in the education sector in Algeria has entered its fourth week, now despite an intervention by the Prime Minister to bring it to an end. The strike, which started on 25 January, has involved members of the National Union of Education and Training Staff (UNPEF) and the National Union of Secondary and Technical Education Teachers (SNAPEST), both affiliated to EI, as well as the Autonomous National Council of Secondary and technical education teachers (CNAPESTE).

The unions stressed the importance of the 13 demands which had been dropped from the joint report signed by the employees of public service and the Ministry of Education. These focus mainly on settling the status of basic education teachers, promoting primary school teachers who have completed their training in 2012, valuing teachers’ professional expertise and allocating them pedagogical grants, and stopping external recruitment.

The unions had announced that the strike was to continue as long as the Minister of Education ignored the teachers’ legitimate and overdue demands and until they received a finalized joint draft agreement that included all the unions’ demands dropped from the initial record.

The education Ministry then highlighted the fact that the strike staged by primary and secondary school teachers, and called for by independent unions, was declared “illegal” by the judicial authorities in a ruling issued recently.

National Education minister Nouria Benghabrit threatened to dismiss all teachers on strike in accordance with the laws and regulations, as she put it.

However, the strike is continuing and unions concerned have toughened their position in reaction to what they called the “unyielding and irresponsible” attitude of the relevant authorities.