Poland's teachers protest over education changes

Thousands of teachers in Poland held protests in 17 cities across the country on Monday over government plans to overhaul the public school system.

Teachers’ union leaders claim that a plan to eliminate middle schools and to return to a two school model of primary followed by high school will result in larger classes and fewer teaching jobs.

#Poland: #Teachers Hold #Protest Against #EducationReform in Warsaw: https://t.co/EVjGtr8bk5 via SputnikInt— Olga Semenova (Ollissya) October 10, 2016


One protester said it was a retrograde step:
“This reform will completely spoil what was improved in education over the past years. Education must be improved, but not in this way.”

At one gathering Poland’s education minister announced there would be more teaching jobs in the future but her remarks were not well received.

The protests come as Poland’s conservative ruling party is facing growing criticism. Last week massive demonstrations forced law makers to reject a total ban on abortion proposed by the the ruling Law and Justice party.