Thousands of Ukrainian teachers protest spending cuts

Mar 22, 2011, 15:19 GMT

Ukrainian woman blocks traffic during rally near of Cabinet of Ministers building in Kiev, Ukraine, 22 March 2011. Thousands of Ukrainian teachers demonstrated in the capital Kiev on Tuesday to protest drastic cuts in education funding planned by the government. A crowd of between six and seven thousand educators, almost all employed in Kiev-area schools, gathered next to the cabinet of ministers building to shout anti-government slogans. EPA/SERGEY DOLZHENKO

Kiev - Thousands of Ukrainian teachers demonstrated in the capital Kiev on Tuesday to protest drastic cuts in education funding planned by the government.

A crowd of between 6,000 and 7,000 teachers, almost all employed in Kiev-area schools, gathered next to ministerial buildings to shout anti-government slogans.

'Shame!,' 'Obey The Law On Education!' and 'We'd Love To Have Your Salary!' were among the insults hurled at police and government officials approaching the crowd, most of them women.

Hundreds of teachers ringing school bells and blowing boat horns blocked Kiev's central Hrushevsky Street, an avenue heavily travelled by senior government officials, for almost 10 minutes before police pressed them back to the sidewalk.

'Don't you dare touch me!' yelled a woman at officers forcing her off the road. 'It's people like me that taught you to read and write - and now that you're a big grown up man that's how you show respect to a woman?'

No blows were exchanged in the fracas, and police made no arrests.

It was the second day of demonstrations by Ukrainian teachers and students against a plan by Prime Minister Mykola Azarov to cut education funding in order to reduce the national deficit.

Azarov has said Ukraine's government lacks funds to support education at levels mandated by current law. His cost-cutting measures include ending overtime and seniority pay, reducing sick leave, closing some schools and increasing class sizes.

'I think (Azarov) should try and live on my salary,' said Regina Ivanova, an elementary school teacher. 'His government has raised the price for water and electricity, so now practically my whole salary goes to paying the utility bill.'

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has made reduction of Ukraine's budget deficit a key condition for more loans. Azarov has said these are critical to keeping the country's government solvent.

Demonstrators said that instead of cutting teachers' benefits, senior government officials should accept salary cuts and big business should pay more in taxes.

'Of course, Azarov says he needs the IMF, but if they send Ukraine the money we teachers will never see it,' said Evhenia Korestiuk, a middle school teacher. 'He will spend all that money helping the oligarchs get richer. We simple people will get nothing.'

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