Strike, swine flu raise concerns in Algeria school

Chief of the National Union for the Association of Pupils’ Parents Sunday warned against a national strike of education unions expected on November 8th and accompanied by swine flu spread in schools.

• Ahmed Khaled asked the government to intervene as “the school year is in risk because of the swine flu pandemic and the expected national strike.”
• “We are neither for the education ministry nor the teachers but we are concerned about the future of our children,” he told Echorouk.
• Press attaché at the National Union for Education and Training Workers Messaoud Amraoui said the strike was decided in response to the prime minister’s remarks on compensation system.
• “Teachers are also victims. The strike was scheduled in the beginning of the school year but it was postponed,” he said.
• According to the crisis cell on pandemic situation in Algeria, four pupils have been hit by the virus in Ain Timouchent (west of Algiers) and the capital. Their classrooms have been closed for 7 days.