Teachers from across Iran have begun a strike in the past two days to protest their wages as well as reports that the education ministry will only get a 14-percent budget increase in the coming year.

ILNA reports that teachers in Eslamshahr, Robat Karim, Shahr-e Qods, Karaj, Shahriyar, Shiraz, Shahroud, Saqez, Baneh and Marivan did not attend classes on Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Tuesday, hundreds of teachers gathered in front of education ministry offices in Shahroud and, on Wednesday, in front of the education ministry offices in Marivan to demand better wages.

A teachers’ rights activist has told ILNA that teachers are concerned that the 14-percent increase proposed in the administration’s new budget is not enough to support an appropriate wage increase.

Six thousand teachers signed a petition earlier this month addressed to the speaker of Parliament, Ali Larijani, protesting inadequate wages and calling for pay equity with other government employees.

Radio Zamaneh