Teachers’ Strike Shutters Thousands of UK Schools

Hundreds of thousands of British schoolchildren won’t be learning Thursday, as teachers strike in four regions.

Organized by national unions, the teachers’ strike forces the closing of 3,492, according to the BBC. The strike was engineered by NASUWT and the National Union of Teachers and affects the North East, Cumbria, the South West, South East and London. Teachers are upset by pay, pension, and working conditions.

“No teacher has any wish to inconvenience parents or disrupt pupils’ education, but this action is not the failure or due to the unreasonableness of teachers, said NASWUT’s Chris Keates.

“It is the failure and unreasonableness of the Secretary of State, who day-in-day-out is disrupting the education of children and young people through his attacks on the teaching profession.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron condemned the teachers’ strike.

“It is very inconvenient for parents, it is not good for pupils’ education, and when we look at the things they are striking over, pensions and pay, they are things that have been decided independently by well-led reviews,” he told BBC Sussex Radio.

Chants of “What do we want? Gove out. When do we want it? Now” were heard at rallies for the teachers’ strike, in opposition to plans to allow schools to set teachers’ salaries linked to performance in the classroom. Proposed pension changes would require teachers to work longer and receive less upon retirement.

What do you think of the teachers’ strike? Do you support the teachers’ strike? How would a teachers’ strike affect your life?

(Photo retrieved from The Daily Mail)