Education unions warn to boycott meetings with minister

Algerian education minister Nouria Benghebrit is expected to hold a series of meetings late in August with unions ahead of the school year due to start on September 6th.

The meetings will deal with achievements and concerns. Yet, some unions warn to boycott them is they “are held in the same conditions as the previous ones.”

Spokesman for the National Union of Education Workers, Kouider Yahiaoui said the ministry did not send them an official letter about the meetings.

“If we are invited, we hope that they will not be like the previous meetings,” he added.

Speaking about the previous meetings, he criticized the ministry’s executives for allocating one hour only per day to listen to 10 representatives’ concerns. “That was not enough to deal with all the concerns. We want the meetings to be ended with written minutes. Otherwise, we will consider to boycott them.”