Teachers launch indefinate hunger strike in Ankara

ANKARA

Demanding fair wages and protesting a controversial interview process for public school appointments, members of the Private Sector Teachers’ Union and local educators in the capital Ankara have begun an indefinite hunger strike.

In a statement, the group said that the campaign is part of a broader effort to secure the right to quality public education for all, adding that their movement would continue despite what they described as pressure, detentions and intimidation.

“The right of appointment for teachers affected by interviews and the demand of private sector teachers for humane working conditions are inseparable parts of the same struggle,” it stated. “This struggle is a fight for the right to quality public education for everyone.”

Sources close to the Education Ministry, however, maintain that the issues raised by the protesters would require legislative amendments rather than administrative action.