Egyptian teachers strike on first day of school year

Egyptian teachers from 140 schools, 0.6 percent of the total nationwide, went on strike on Sunday, the first day of the new school year, the official news agency MENA reported. The strike, summoned by the General Independent Union of Teachers, is aimed at protesting against the Egyptian Education Ministry who failed to meet teachers' demands, including improving payments, developing curriculum and educational buildings and setting unified goals for education in Egypt, the report said. Egyptian Education Minister Ahmed Gamal al-Din Mussa said Sunday in a statement that all teachers, even those who were taking part in the strike, were patriotic, adding that there was still room for negotiations.