At a time when the government is under pressure from international donors to cut spending, thousands of high school teachers rallied on the streets of Tunis on Wednesday to demand better pay and conditions.
The teachers, from different provinces of Tunisia, gathered in front of the education ministry before marching towards the central Habib Bourguiba avenue, chanting “no to the humiliation of teachers” and “the people want fiscal justice”.
They called for the resignation of education minister Hatem Ben Salem, whom they blamed for stalled negotiations.
Tunisia has been in turmoil since autocrat Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was toppled in 2011 in the first “Arab Spring” uprising, sparked by anger at unemployment and poverty.