Nationwide Teachers' Strike Paralyzes Libyan Schools as Unions Demand Major Economic Reforms

Teachers in Libya have escalated their ongoing protests into an open-ended strike at public schools, demanding higher salaries and improved working conditions. The movement began on September 13, coinciding with the scheduled start of the school year, with sit-ins organized outside schools and government buildings in Tripoli. Two weeks later, the teachers union intensified the campaign by launching a nationwide strike, effectively halting classes across the country.

By Sunday, several other Libyan labor unions threatened to join the strike unless the government initiates talks to resolve the escalating cost-of-living crisis. In response, Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah of the internationally recognized Government of National Unity (GNU) convened with cabinet members in Tripoli to formulate a response.

Libya has faced persistent economic and political turmoil following the 2011 uprising that ended the rule of Muammar Gaddafi. These strikes are taking place simultaneously across Libya's political divide, encompassing the western region governed by the GNU and the eastern region controlled by Khalifa Haftar's self-described Libyan National Army. Although rival legislative bodies agreed on a unified budget in April, the underlying economic grievances remain unresolved.

Teachers report facing declining salaries, unpaid arrears, insufficient benefits, and deteriorating school conditions. Principal Muftah Khalifa highlighted the government's failure to address demands for unified wages, health insurance, and adequate security. Many educators and parents have resorted to paying for classroom equipment, such as computers and desks, out of pocket. A central demand is the establishment of a unified pay system to bridge vast income disparities across sectors, a proposal now backed by multiple unions and pensioner groups.

Data from a budget brief by Libya's National Council for Economic and Social Development and UNICEF indicates that 91 percent of the education budget is allocated to salaries for the sector's 560,000 employees—including approximately 270,000 basic and secondary education teachers—within a population of roughly 7.5 million. While the GNU passed Law No 4 in 2018 to regulate salaries, benefits, and workplace protection, and ordered related pay rises in September 2021, the issue of salary arrears has persisted.

The dispute intensified further when union chiefs and western Libyan representatives withdrew from a Ministry of Education meeting. Ashraf Abu Rawi, head of the Tripoli teachers union, stated that authorities failed to take their concerns seriously. While parents like Osama Abboud acknowledge the legitimacy of the teachers' demands, they have also urged educators to consider the future of their students. Prime Minister Dbeibah's recent discussions with Finance Minister Rashid Boughofa centered on a unified pay system, though implementing such changes would require prolonged governmental, parliamentary, and banking procedures amidst Libya's ongoing political division.